When Little Girls Play Cupid
by xOpinionatedxJadedx
Summary: ... anything can happen... Carly Levesque, daughter of Triple H, stepdaughter of Stephanie McMahon Levesque has just gotten out of a bad relationship. She's on the road with her father, and her daughter Amira who's four has a plan.. Find a new daddy.. Will Amira succeed? read and review if you like this. POLL IS OPEN ON PROFILE NOW! VOTE PLEASE?
1. Chapter 1

{ AUTHORS NOTES: I DO NOT OWN THE WWE OR THE SUPERSTARS ON THE ROSTER, NOR DO I PROFIT FROM THIS. THIS IS JUST MY CRAY OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION, HARD AT WORK AGAIN.

I'M REWRITING WHEN LITTLE GIRLS PLAY CUPID BECAUSE I GOT A FEW NEW IDEAS IN MIND FOR IT. THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE TO THE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS CAROLINE AND AMIRA. NOT MANY, BUT THEY ARE IMPORTANT ONES, SO I REPOSTED THEIR ENTIRE BIOS AS I HAVE THEM SO FAR, SO PEOPLE DON'T GET CONFUSED.

PAIRINGS POLL THIS TIME IS ONE OF FOUR MEN: **ROMAN,** **RANDY**, **SHEAMUS** OR **DEAN**. I ONLY REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WRITING HER WITH ONE OF THOSE FOUR MEN, AND THEY ARE THE ONES I SEEM TO HAVE MORE MUSE WRITING FOR. SO ANY OF THOSE FOUR ARE THE GUYS YOU CAN VOTE FOR.. YOU CAN VOTE VIA REVIEW OR ON THE POLL.

THIS IS THE REWRITE OF WHEN LITTLE GIRLS PLAY CUPID, HOPE YOU GUYS READ AND REVIEW AND ALL THAT. i WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU WHO REVIEWED, FAVED AND FOLLOWED THE OLD ONE BECAUSE I LOVE YOU FOR IT, AND IT KEPT ME GOING FOR A LONG TIME. aND IT'S THE REASON I'M STILL TRYING.}

* * *

ღ CAROLINE ARIA LEVESQUE (BOWEN) ღ

**Meaning of Name Broken Down:**

First:

Middle:

**Age:**

23

**DOB:**

25th March

**Birth Sign:**

Aries / Pisces

(she was born on a cusp)

**Nationality:**

a little bit of everything, American

** Looks:**

**{caroline aria levesque}**

Hair:

Blonde with Brown High and Low Lights

looks like this down

usually wears it like this up

Eyes:

hazel

Height:

5'5

Weight:

131 lbs

Body type:

curvy & athletic

Style:

see here

and here

and here

and here

Tattoos:

Carly has 2 tattoos, but they're placed so that they won't be seen all the time, with one being lower on her right hipand the other being on herleft ribcage. So unless you're looking for them you will not see them.

Scars:

a few old cuts from childhood, she was a huge clutz, but they're faded now, so you can't really see them that well.

fading bruises from the relationship she's recently gotten out of

C Section Scar

Lower Back Scar

(This one was one of 3 distinct ones put on her by her soon to be ex boyfriend, and it was done when he shoved her and she caught the sharp edge of a piece of furniture because she was trying to fight back/get away.)

Forehead Scar

(Again, ex boyfriend did this to her when she tried to leave him and go back to her family. He shoved her and she got cut while falling down stairs)

Burn Scar Right Forearm

(She burnt her arm during another argument with her ex who caused her to spill the boiling hot water from a pot of spaghetti noodles on her arm. It was a 2nd light 3rd degree burn)

Other Markings:

has both ears pierced 3 times, 1 on cartilage, 2 on lobe, both ears

has a small birthmark below her right eye

**Personality:**

**(Positive Traits)**

caringgood sense of humorcalm,easygoingempathaticloyalpassionatedeterm inedromanticnurturinggood listenerintelligentleader vs follower

**(Negative Traits)**

tempermentalstubbornsarcastica little more than jaded and cynical, thanks to the life she's had before finally getting to know her father as a young mindeda little too open with her personal opinionsfalls in love semi easily, can be taken advantage of because she's trusting almost to a fault, hence the reason she got into the situation she's just getting out of at the start of my jealous easilycan be too impulsive at timesoveranalyzes things a lotis a little reserved at first when she's meeting people for the first grudges and anger a long timeis sort of a private person, keeps everything hidden or buried until she just can't anymore, and she explodes.

**Fears:**

having something happen to her family, particularly her newly found father, her stepmother and half sisters, most importantly, her daughter Amirafalling in love with another man who is worse than Brettfinding out her mother lied to her about who her father really is, after she's waited her entire life to finally get an finally completely snapping and doing something to hurt her or Amira, her dark spaces, she's claustrophobic and it brings back memories from her earliest childhood, how she had to hide in a closet when her mother got a little too drunk or movements, because she's still dealing with the Brett thing, dogslarge menantique porcelain dollsa large crowd of drunk people acting insanelythat somehow, she's going to mess up her daughters lifeher daughter finding out the truth about how she came into the .something happening to Amira like what happened to her, causing a rift between them as mother and daughter.

**Pet Peeves:**

Possessive and/ or touchy feely menpeople who get falling over drunk, mainly because they scare the crap outta corrected or proven treated like she's a piece of with her misuse of the English who pretend to 'know all' but actually don't know who play the 'victim' card just to get a guy to give a crap about judged because she's got a 5 year old kid at her judged because of her mother's former occupation (when she realized she was pregnant, and that Paul was on the road, and they didn't work out, she became a stripper/escort. She didn't want Paul in her life, or Caroline's, because he would have tried to 'help' her, she didn't want help.)people who assume she's just a little rich princess because of her family ties, when in fact she's only just actually gotten to know her father over the course of the past year.'divas', the girls like Kelly Kelly or Eve.. The flipside to this is that she can actually tolerate Brie and Nikki Heyman's voice. It grates her last stared at while she's eating or something like that.

**Goals:**

major in dance, compete in dance on to college, get her cosmetology her own beauty salon/dance studio type kids dance a GOOD guy, or one who treats her right, treats Amira right and settling down.

**Secrets:**

Amira's father is NOT Brett.. When Carly was about 19, she was raped during one of her mother's 'house parties'. She kept Amira because she felt like Amira didn't deserve to pay for the thing that her 'father' had done to Carly. And she loved her already, despite the way Amira came to rape that resulted in Amira was not the first time, either, but she doesn't remember the first time because it happened when she was probably about 15 or so and she sort of blocked it out.. To some degree she knows it happened, but she doesn't think about it, she won't let of her parents (meaning Paul and Stephanie, her stepmom, her real mother knew) know about either of the above incidences. But after the first time, she ran away from home, lived with friends of hers from school, refused to talk to her mother until she was about 18 or so, when she finally went home and confronted her mother. When it happened again, her mother tried to straighten up so she could support Carly's decision to raise Amira.

**Illnesses/Health:**

See Secrets/Scars areas for the info. Other than those things, nothing else is really wrong with her. I'll add other things as they happen in the story, keep this sucker up to date.

**Occupation:**

currently she works as hair and makeup for the WWE, to earn the money to open up her own salon/dance studio and get back on her feet.

**Past Occupations:**

waitressed at a diner (after school and while in college)

taught dance classes at a local fitness center (while in college, still does this, up to the point where my story starts)

**School:**

completed high school and graduated a year early

completed college

attended a performing arts college for a while before transferring to a local community one because she was pregnant.

**Special Training:**

holds a cosmetology license

has taken dance classes of all kinds nearly her entire life.

**Biography:**

(will be revealed in bits in the story)

**Other Basic Personal Information:**

**Hometown When Not On The Road:**

Greenwich, Conneticut in the guest house behind her parents house.

**Car:**

**House:**

**Pets:**

**1 cat named Bobo, Amira loves that little guy**

**Children:**

**currently, just Amira**

**Favorites:**

Favorite music:

hard rock

classic rock

80's rock

some pop

Favorite Bands:

linkin park

drowning pool

skid row

van halen

fall out boy

aerosmith

led zepplin

def leppard

avenged sevenfold

megadeth

metallica

little mix

black sabbath

motorhead

nickelback

bon jovi

poison

kid rock

metallica

the doors

Favorite Songs:

DNA - Little Mix

Bodies, One Finger & A Fist, Sinner, Tearing Away - Drowning Pool

I'll Be There For You, Bed Of Roses, In & Out of Love, Livin On A Prayer - Bon Jovi

Pour Some Sugar On Me, Foolin, Armageddon It - Def Leppard

Cryin, Amazin, Pink, Jaded, Don't Wanna Miss A Thing, Love In An Elevator - Aerosmith

Stairway To Heaven, Kashmir, Going To California - Led Zepplin

riders on the storm, break on through, roadhouse blues, touch me, people are strange, love her madly - the doors

american badass, cocky, blue jeans and a rosary, bawitaba - kid rock

paranoid, nib, war pigs, ,suicide solution, iron man - black sabbath

every rose has its thorn, talk dirty to me, unskinny bop, fallen angel, nothin but a good time - poison

home sweet home, kickstart my heart, same old situation, hell on high heels, if i die tomorrow, helter skelter - motley crue

Favorite Things To Do – On A Day Off

take her daughter to a park or something, or just lie around in pj's all day watching movies and cartoons with Amira and her half sisters.

Favorite Sport:

football, baseball, boxing and soccer

Favorite Animal:

small dogs, cats, frogs, monkeys, horses

Favorite Flower:

dark red roses

Favorite Gemstone:

ruby or pearl

Favorite time of the day :

sunrise, when the sun's just coming up and it's still pretty quiet

Favorite colors:

pale pink

aqua

red

Favorite Movies:

pretty much any horror movie, Armageddon, Die Hard series, Rambo series, rocky series, An Officer And A Gentleman, Top Gun, Fight Club, The Matrix, Star Wars

Favorite Books:

The Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice

The Shining - Stephen King

The Outsiders- S.E Hinton

Harry Potter Series - J.K Rowling

Favorite Holiday:

Christmas

Halloween

Favorite part of a man's body:

Eyes (she's partial to light colored eyes like blue, light brown or green, tbh)

Lips

Butt

Arms

Scars

Tattoos (but not a whole lot, it puts her off)

Stubble

Favorite part of her own body:

her legs

Favorite food:

macaroni and cheese

cheeseburgers

Favorite Drink:

dr. pepper

sweetened tea

flavored water

sprite

Favorite Dessert:

red velvet cake, cream cheese icing

strawberries with vanilla cream cheese dip

apples and caramel

**Likes:**

sleeping late

comic books

horror movies

dirty jokes

when people assume she's this 'girly' chick and she shocks them with her swearing and dirty jokes or something like that.

playing with her daughter and half sisters, doesn't care how childish she looks doing it, either.

dancing.

hot showers.

raw onion

going barefoot

swimming

singing in the shower

reading

long car trips

**Dislikes:**

men the size of Mark Henry or Ryback

Damien Sandow annoys her

cold food

being held down, pinned in

not being able to go to sleep

slow drivers

people who are too full of themselves or cocky. she enjoys making them make an ass of themselves upon occasion.

waking up too early

hot beer

large crowds

**Relationship Information:**

**Past - Is just getting out of a bad relationship with Brett, her ex boyfriend.**

**Family:**

Dominique La Salle, mother, deceased

Paul Levesque, father, she's just found out about him, is sort of forming a bond with him now

Stephanie McMahon, stepmother, considers her a 'mother'

**Friends:**

Brie Bella

Nikki Bella

Layla El

**Siblings:**

**Murphy**

**Aurora**

**Vaughn**

**- sisters,all on father's side**

**Kiara**

**- sister, deceased, died when they were both a year old.**

**Children:**

**Amira Jane Levesque - Bowen**

**Past Relationships:**

**Brett Myers**

**Present Relationships:**

**Unknown**

**(Choices are either Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton, Sheamus or Roman Reigns, my current obsessions. Choose from those, okay?)**

**Enemies:**

**AJ Lee**

**Damien Sandow**

**Kaitlyn**

**Eva Marie**

**Aksana**

**Jack Swagger**

**Curtis Axle**

**Paul Heyman**

**Brock Lesnar**

** - isn't fond of CM Punk either**

**Crushes:**

**dean ambrose**

**roman reigns**

**sheamus**

**randy orton**

**Crushes On Her:**

**Pairing:**

**VOTE NOW DAMN IT!**

**Love Song:**

**Wedding Stuff:**

**Will be linked to when made**

ღ AMIRA JANE LEVESQUE - BOWEN ღ

**Age:**

5

**DOB:**

July 4th

**Birth Sign:**

**Cancer**

**Looks:**

**{amira jane levesque-bowen}**

Hair:

dirty blonde

Eyes:

hazel

Height:

n/a

Weight:

n/a

Body type:

n/a

Style:

loves the color pink and frilly tutu style dresses, the color black, and t shirts with either cartoon characters on them or bands her mommy listens to. She likes boots and has a leather jacket also, like HHH's.

Tattoos:

n/a

Scars:

n/a

Other Markings:

she also has a mole, but it's above her lip on the right side of her face.

**Personality:**

**(Positive Traits)**

warm hearted

caretaker

likes to make people feel happy

creative

smart for her age

athletic

**(Negative Traits)**

can be a bit nosy

tempermental

spooks easily

a bit hyper

prankster

daredevil

**Favorites:**

Favorite music:

pop

hard rock

Favorite Bands:

mostly anything her mommy listens to

Favorite Songs:

any kind of music, really

Favorite Things To Do

play with her half aunts

sleep late

draw and paint

dance

dress up in costumes

do 'stunts' that often scare adults crapless

play pranks

Favorite Sport:

professional wrestling

Favorite Animal:

kittens, frogs, small dogs, lizards, fish, monkeys

Favorite Flower:

any kind

Favorite Gemstone:

red ones are pretty

Favorite time of the day :

sunset, because the sky turns all sorts of pretty colors

Favorite colors:

pale pink

purple

black

silver

red

Favorite Movies:

cars, monsters inc, brave, rapunzel

Favorite Books:

fairy tales

Harry Potter series

Favorite Holiday:

Halloween

April Fools

Christmas

Favorite food:

hot dogs

cheeseburgers

grapes

apples

macaroni and cheese

ketchup

Favorite Drink:

dr. pepper

sweetened tea

Favorite Dessert:

cupcakes

red velvet cake

birthday cake ice cream

chocolate chip cookies

Favorite Wrestlers in WWE:

she LOVES the Shield.. Know how JBL is their biggest 'fangirl'? Not anymore. This girl is absolutely in love with those three men and nobody knows why. Of the three, however, Dean Ambrose is her favorite, even though everyone thinks he's the scariest one.

Downside to this is that she also likes Sheamus and Randy Orton too.

Kane.. She thinks he knows how to make fireworks happen just by walking into a room which both scares her and makes her clap and giggle

Daniel Bryan.. But she hates the beard

Bray Wyatt doesn't scare her.. She likes to sneak off and talk to him because she's at the age where the stuff he says is like a big joke to her.

Favorite Divas in WWE:

Brie Bella

Nikki Bella

Layla El

**Likes:**

dolls

playing dress up

pranks

magic tricks

crossword puzzles

disney princess movies

dancing

piggyback rides

converses, believe it or not, now that she's Paul's grandkid, they're constantly getting her different colored ones.. Her overall favorite ones however, are some that are black and have rhinestones on them, and the DX insignia airbrushed on the side in lime green. She wants a similar pair with the Shield insignia on them in hot pink, though, grandpa's reluctant about that one.

**Dislikes:**

beards

being tickled too much

strange people touching her

justin bieber

being clumsy

people who don't like kids

waking up early

bad storms

sudden noises or movements in her direction

people hurting or she thinks might hurt her mommy or her family.

* * *

INTRODUCTION/PROLOGUE 1

Like most girls, I had a fairly normal life.. Okay, so it didn't start out normal, but that will all come out later.. When my dad found out about me though, he did his very best to make me a part of his life and his new family, which is pretty big considering well..

My father isn't just any guy, you see.. He's the COO of WWE Entertainment, Paul Levesque.. Most of you probably know him as Triple H or Hunter, if you know him through the industry..

To me, he's just dad.. Normal, old, boring, overprotective, nosy, dad. And I love him for that.

A lot of you are sitting back and thinking, "Normal? Triple H?" and probably laughing your asses off already. I assure you, he's a lot different when he's not hamming it up for the cameras. The same lot of you are probably writing me off as a spoiled little pampered rich bitch, because you've probably assumed and are completely wrong, by the way, - that I am Stephanie McMahon's biological daughter. This is not one of those stories.. Rora and Murph, Vaughn are her real daughters. I'm her stepdaughter.

But she's treating me like I was her child. This isn't one of those stories where I had it so tragically that I'm this completely fucked up person either.

I mean yeah, I had it bad, my mother liked to party and drink, get high more than she liked being a mom, and she loved men, especially the bad ones, but she's always been friends with my dad, on count of them growing up together.. Hell, he told me a while ago he suspected I was his when I was around 2.. And he sent her money and checked on her as much as she'd let him.. Which is probably why she moved so much, especially after he remarried..

Because as much as she sucked as a parent, -which she apologized for, before her death, just so you all know, before you start writing me off, writing this off as something to 'get money'- she told me not so long before she died that she did love me, and she wished she'd taken better care of me, that there hadn't been a rift between us, because she knew she'd die if Stephanie and Paul had figured out that I WAS my father's kid and taken me.

Nope, both of my parents (dad and stepmother) are actually pretty cool, down to Earth people. I mean yeah, my dad occasionally loses his shit and goes after people with sledge hammers and my stepmom, -though for all intents and purposes, I think of her as my real mother because god knows my real mother wasn't fit to raise a damn house plant, much less me, hell she only JUST told me who my father was, when she was dying of an overdose earlier this year and she decided to tell both of us, together- occasionally comes down, vents and bitches at people who get on her last nerve, but hey..

They're my family, and when I need 'em, they're always there. I guess that's why when my life finally did go to shit, I had no problems or shame in running to mom and dad.

I just didn't think it'd ultimately wind up putting me back on the path my life was supposed to take.. Guessing you want me to stop talking and get to the actual story now, right?

Okay, fine. I will. But I warn you, this isn't some fairytale. And no matter how outlandish some of it seems, this all really did happen.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, as per usual, aren't I? I suppose you want to know what started all of this, so here it goes.. I warn you, I'm not gonna sugarcoat things, either. What I'd just gotten myself out of? Nothing short of scary, nothing short of hell.

XxX

"_Wrong answer, Caroline." Brett said firmly, a cold glare in his eye as he looked at his girlfriend before continuing, "If you're smart? You're gonna hang up that phone.. you don't wanna make me mad now do ya?"_

"_Go to hell, Brett." Carly Levesque muttered as she slowly put the phone down, back onto the hook, took a few deep breaths. She was shaking she was almost so angry and scared right now. They'd broken up about 2 weeks prior to this, and she'd come home tonight after picking up her daughter Amira from the sitter to find her front door broken down, Brett sitting there in the dark, drinking a bottle of Jim Beam as he looked around the guest house out behind her parents mansion, where she was living for now, until she got back on her feet._

_Her parents were on the road with the show this week, and the security system hadn't been working properly all day, actually.. Now Carly had a sneaking suspicion as to why that was, and the fear was really beginning to grow.. Sure Brett had been violent and scary before, but lately?_

_It was almost as if the man had snapped, and he was capable of anything, especially since Carly had been ignoring his calls and pleas to come back, be a 'family' again, ignoring all of the remarks he made about how she was 'lucky' that he even kept coming around, considering how he was NOT Amira's father, and they both knew it._

"_Not bad, Carly." Brett said calmly, as he stood and started to walk towards her. Carly groaned inwardly when she heard the shuffling of little feet in the doorway behind her. She felt the fear growing and multiplying now, knowing Amira hadn't seen what her 'father' was capable of, somehow, Carly had managed to keep the man from showing his 'true colors' while Amira was around._

"_Mama?" Amira asked as she looked from one parent to the other, eyes widened in horror, as Carly said calmly, "Sweetie? Remember our game? Hide and Seek?"_

"_Mhmm."_

"_Go hide. Go, now!" Carly snapped as she felt around in the desk drawer with her back hiding what she was doing, looking for the handgun her father left with her, just in case she needed it while he and Stephanie were gone on the road._

_Amira's scampering feet a few seconds later allowed Carly to breathe just a little easier.. Until he saw her hands moving behind her back and snatched her away from the desk before she had a good grip on the handgun she'd almost gotten out of the back of the desk drawer._

"_Now babe.. What were you gonna do? Shoot me? You don't have it in you, Carly. We've known each other too damn long." Brett asked as he grabbed the gun and wrestled Carly against him, clicking the gun off safety._

_The headlights shining as a black and lime green accented Ford Raptor belonging to none other than the biological father Carly was trying to reconnect with, the father who'd been denied about her existance then plain lied to about it for almost her entire childhood had her first blinking, then raising a brow while she struggled against Brett's grips._

"_Aww, look.. Daddy came riding to the rescue.." Brett said as Carly fought him, stomping his foot then punching him in the nose, getting away, grabbing another gun she had hidden in a safe nearby. She clicked it off safety and said with a smirk, "You're right, Brett.. I did miss you.. But at this range? Pretty damn sure my aim will get a lot better this time around.. You do remember what happened to you the night I left your ass.. Right?"_

_Brett glared and then grabbed for the barrell, then from the doorway, Paul Levesque laughed as he called out calmly, "Brett? You again, kid? I thought I told you that night you broke in, when we had you hauled away to jail, that the next time I saw you around my girls, you were gonna do more than piss on yourself in fear."_

"_Come on and try it, old ass man. Make my day you washed up bum of a son of a bitch.. Carly owes me everything, if it hadn't been for me? She'd have gotten killed when we were growing up."_

"_Carly doesn't owe you jack, son. Carly handled her life on her own. She's my offspring, trust me, daddy knows all. I might not have known about her being mine, but she was taken care of." Paul Levesque said calmly as he took the gun from Carly and said calmly, "Go upstairs, pack your stuff and Amira's stuff.. You're coming back on the road with me and Steph, the girls. I KNEW it was a bad idea to let you talk me into staying behind, by yourself, especially when the security company called about an hour ago and told me that somehow, our system got hacked."_

_Carly nodded and then asked her father, "If you need any help, daddy.. I'm right up there."_

"_Oh no, baby girl.. Daddy's got this. And you don't need to see it." Paul said as he popped his knuckles and grabbed a hold of Brett, easily overpowering the drunken and smaller male, throwing him off of a wall, breaking several things downstairs with the guys body. When he finished, he lifted the guy by his collar, from where he lie on the floor and he said calmly, quietly, "Next time, kid.. You're not gonna live to tell about it. So just go ahead.. Be stupid enough to show your face while we're on the road. I'll make you wish I had a sledgehammer in my hands to end your misery."_

_Carly pushed open the doorway to her bedroom and called out quietly, "Ami?"_

"_In closet, mommy.. I was scart so I called Poppa."_

"_Good girl, baby. Good girl.. Very big girl, mommy's proud of you." Carly said as she hugged her daughter, shielding her little ears from the sounds of the violence taking place just down the hallway. The sounds of sirens filling the night had her groaning and she muttered quietly, "Yeah, that's great."_

"_I called the cops too, mommy." Amira said as she hugged her mother and added, "He had a gun, mommy, I hadda do something."_

"_You did good, baby girl. You did a very adult thing tonight. Mommy's glad you're such a smart baby." Carly said as she kissed the top of her daughters head and said calmly, "Now let's pack some clothes.. We're gonna take a little trip on the road with Poppa and Nonna."_

"_We are? Will we get to meet some of the peoples on his show?"_

"_Yeah, baby."_

"_Cool. Let me go pack my stuffs." Amira said as she ran from her mom's room through the bathroom that connected their rooms, to her room. She grabbed some clothes and some of her favorite toys, and then her notebook, her mommy called it her 'wish book'.. It's where she wrote down all her 'wishes'.. Maybe if she was lucky, she could make this particular wish happen._

_The policemen walked in and wasted no time cuffing Brett, leading him out the door as they made sure everything was okay, nothing was taken, nothing else had occurred other than what they'd been told. Carly and Amira happened to come down to the den area, right as he was lead past, and Brett leaned in and whispered to Amira, "Kid? You're mommy's weakness.. To hurt her, I'm gonna get you and take you with me. I'll be back."_

_Amira gulped and then played it off as though he'd just been saying goodbye, but the words never left her little mind. She stored them away for the future, as a reminder as to why her plan had to work._

_Carly swung wildly at Brett as he tried to hug Amira, it looked like, and screaming "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY KID YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU!" as her father hugged her and said quietly, "Nothing's gonna happen, Caroline, you're safe now.. Let's get out of here.. I'll get someone to come in and look at the damage, fix the place while we're all gone. I'd rather you two lived in the main house with Steph, the girls and I.."_

"_Dad.. I have to stand on my own two feet. Amira needs me to be strong. I cannot keep letting you guys do everything for me, I've never been that type of girl and I don't really intend to now. So, I can't do that.. I still wish you'd let me pay rent on this place or something.. I mean I'm opening a salon, I have that part time job and all that money put up from my dancing competitions.."_

"_ 're my kid, Caroline, I didn't get to take care of you then, because your mom didn't tell either of us the truth until she was about to die, I'm gonna do as much as I can to take care of you now." Paul said as he grabbed their bags, loaded them into the back of his truck. _

_Stephanie sighed in relief as Carly got into the truck with a semi sleeping Amira. "You two have no idea how worried we were. Why didn't you call us when the security system glitched this morning?" Stephanie asked in a rush as Aurora, Murphy and Vaughn all started talking to their oldest half sister in concern._

"_Whoa, whoa you three.. First of all, I'm glad you three were worried about me and me and Ami are fine.. But slow down, please? One of you at a time." _

"_He not gon come back is he?" Aurora asked bossily, her hand on her hips as she fixed her eyes intently on her oldest half sister, the newest member of their family._

"_No. If he does, he's dead." Carly said with a light laugh as Stephanie chimed in, "Yeah.. Your dad, I think he made the kid piss himself, yet again."_

"_He did. After he used his head to redesign the living room." Carly joked as Paul shrugged and said with a smirk, "That damn wall never shoulda been put there anyway." _

" _He's lucky you showed up before I pulled the safety off, dad.. I mean I've never wanted to kill someone before, but when I had that gun, all I could think about was how scared Amira is of him, and how many times he's hurt me in the past and.. I'm a horrible person, but.."_

"_Nah. He'd have deserved it, Carly. Trust me, the guy was bad news. You guys just stick close when we get to the arena, okay? I'm gonna go find Vince, explain the situation so that security is on the look out. I'm proud of Amira." Paul said as he looked at his granddaughter in the rearview and smiling said "She did exactly what we've all taught the girls to do if anything ever happens and they get scared. My question is, why didn't you call?"_

"_I was trying to but he grabbed me and we started fighting, dad. I'd only just gotten loose when you guys pulled up." Carly said quietly as she squeezed her eyes, tried not to think about what'd just happened mere hour and a half ago._

_That was behind her now, she'd do whatever she had to to keep it behind her. Brett no longer scared her, so as far as she was concerned, he could keep trying, but she'd make sure he knew she wasn't someone you wanted to mess with._

_She got herself into this, she was damn determined to get herself out of it._

_The arena loomed in the distance, the show had been in Conneticut tonight, thankfully, and she took a few deep breaths. She had something she wanted to ask her father's father in law, but she wasn't sure what his answer would be.._

_Because she hadn't ever had the least bit of interest in professional wrestling until she got to know her birth father, Paul, and realized just how much he loved it as a fan and an athlete.. And she wasn't just going to travel with her parents for free, of course.._

_It couldn't hurt to see if the man would hire her on as hair and makeup or something to earn money, would it? Since she obviously couldn't just go back to the guest house behind her parents place and expect to be left in peace, as made evident by tonight's events._

"_You okay, Carly?"_

"_Yeah, Dad.. Just thinking.. Just thinking about how damn lucky I am that you came when you did. If you hadn't, I don't even wanna think about what might have happened.. So... This is going to be interesting, coming on the road with you guys.."_

_Paul chuckled and nodding said "Yeah, it is. But I feel better, and so does Steph, actually, with you guys here, not back at the house by yourselves."_

_As they parked, she collected herself, and worked on covering up the bruises and evidence of the fight she'd been in. The last thing she wanted was unnecessary attention, or someone pitying her, or worse, feeling the need to butt in and play hero._

_She just got the feeling that tonight happened for a reason and that overwhelming sense of relief that maybe, just maybe, the nightmare she'd been in was over._

_What she didn't realize was that it wasn't over, but tonight marked the beginning of a new life starting for her._


	2. Chapter 2

_CHAPTER ONE : BEHIND THE SCENES AT A WWE HOUSE SHOW_

Carly walked in behind her father and her stepmother, carrying Amira who'd given up the battle with sleep about ten minutes into the ride to the arena. She was sleeping fitfully, not a surprise, considering what she'd witnessed earlier, back at the guest house they were living in on Carly's father's property.

Or the other things she'd probably heard over the course of her 4 years of life up to this point. Now that Carly was out, she was determined not to go back to Brett, and she was determined to make sure the next time he stood in front of her and she happened to be holding a loaded gun that she shot at him at least one time.

The more she thought about the things she'd been through, the things her daughter had had to go through as a result of her choice in men, the more sickened and disgusted she got with herself.

Her daughter was the faithful fan of the show, Carly hardly got to watch in all honesty, so she didn't know any of the names or faces of the people she tried to avoid the gaze of as she walked past them in the crowded backstage, behind her parents, her sleeping daughter in her arms.

But it wouldn't matter, because she was here because she was safe. Not to meet someone, not to do anything like that. She'd just talked to her stepmother's father, Vince McMahon, owner of the company, and he'd actually liked the idea of her working on makeup and hair, maybe doing a few costumes and he was or he seemed ot be more concerned that she was out of this situation she found herself in. He seemed like a caring person, if not a little blunt in his honesty. But Carly appreciated that, she was that way too, and her real mother, before her death had always said she got that from her father, Paul.

HHH glared as they walked past a few of the guys and their eyes lingered too long on his oldest daughter. Stephanie groaned inwardly, she knew how protective her husband was over her, over their own three children together, and how he was becoming towards Carly and Amira since Carly's mother had finally told them both the truth a few months before, when she'd been about to die.

"Take it easy, Paul." Stephanie chided as she added, "I'm seriously doubtful that Carly's even noticed any of them staring at her, and if she has, something tells me that right now, she'll ignore it. She's not worried about anything but getting her life back together, remember?"

"Yeah? Well, I still don't like those little jerkoffs lookin, okay? Lookin.."

Stephanie groaned again and stopped trying to convince him he had nothing to worry about because he'd only remind her that they'd started out much the same way, and her father had actually tried many a time to put his foot down about the two of them.

Carly spoke up, breaking up their quiet argument as she asked, "So.. Where do I need to set up? Vince said I could start tonight.."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Car? I mean you just had one hell of a night, princess." HHH said as he looked at his daughter in concern, his stomach twisting in a rage at the fading bruises on her face from the fight she'd been in earlier.

"Dad.. If I don't do something to stop thinking about it every time I do, I'm gonna keep getting mad all over again, and there's nothing I can do about it now, really.. So, yes sir, I am sure. Besides, according to Vince, the last makeup and hair person just quit, so I'm actually kind of going to be needed."

"Any o f these jerks come on to you.."

"Dad, seriously? Do you really think anyone's going to come on to me? I mean look at me, dad. Besides, it won't do them any good, because as of now? I'm done with the male species as a whole."

"You're not." Stephanie corrected her stepdaughter as she added, "Because as soon as you say that.. And trust me, I know this from experience.. As soon as you say those words? Something happens to prove you wrong."

"Not this time, Mom."

"Oh trust me.. I thought that too, but then I met your father backstage."

Carly giggled a little and then said "Ahhh.. So now I see why Dad's turning into a big baby about me being here. Well, dad, if it makes you feel better, do not worry. I do not think any of these guys are gonna even give me a sideways look because the girls actually on the roster are probably ten times better looking, and they probably don't have half my issues or baggage."

HHH looked at his daughter, glaring playfully for a moment and then said quietly, "If you need anything, me and Steph are down the hall. And I mean it, Carly, if any of the guys hits on you."

"Daaad.. This discussion is not happening. Trust me, the last thing I want right now is some guy who just wants some quick ass trying me. I'm not in the mood tonight, I'll probably get tossed out for punching them or something." Carly teased as she walked into the room Stephanie said was her room to do hair and makeup in, and flipped on the light switch, grimacing at the loudly colored walls and prints that the previous makeup lady seemed to prefer.

"Dear God in heaven, I'm gonna claw my eyes out. It looks like a fucking neon nightmare in here for Christ's sakes." she muttered as she went through the makeup box, making sure she had the basics, and then started setting up the hair styling utensils for the show.

The door opening had her turning slightly, and in stepped two brunette females who introduced themselves as the Bella Twins.

"Hi.. I'm Carly, I'm the new hair and makeup chick?" Carly said as she studied them. Brie squealed as she noticed the little girl sleeping in a curled up ball on the couch and sitting down she said "She's so stinking cute! How old is she?"

"She's 4 and going on 24. If any of those guys in black come in here, they're dually screwed, she's convinced herself that they're all 'pretty men'." Carly said as she watched the two women gaping at her as the other one, Nikki asked, "So you weren't watching already?"

"Not often enough to know the names of everyone on the roster, but my little girl, she never misses a show."

"Aww, we started watching at her age too."

The twins settled into two of the directors chairs, talking back and forth and to Carly.. Both of them wanted to ask her about the fading bruises, but they didn't want her to clam up or make her feel weird either, so they just didn't yet.

Carly, however, noticed them looking at her and said quietly, "Earlier tonight.. I came home from picking Amira up from the sitter.. Found the ex boyfriend broken into my parents guest house, where I'm staying temporarily.. We had a fight and that's how I got all the bruises. If you two were wondering.."

They gaped at her and then Brie asked "You're not going back to the guy, right?"

"Hell no.. If my dad hadn't shown up when he had, I mean he had to have flown to get across town from the arena where he was when Amira called.. Anyway, if he hadn't shown up, I fully intended to pump my ex's ass full of lead. I got out of that, I'm not going back. I'll die before I do."

The twins nodded and said thoughtfully, "Good." as they rolled their eyes at AJ Lee when her music played and she skipped down to the ring. Carly groaned also and then said "I can already tell I'm not gonna like her."

"She's a nutcase."

"She looks like the elevator doesn't go all the way to the top floor." Carly stated as she rolled her eyes at the girl's antics. Brie and Nikki laughed quietly and said "We like you."

"The feeling is mutual. It's nice to have adult conversation, actually.. I love my baby girl to death, but it's nice to talk to an adult. Though technically, she is a minature adult, or so she claims."

"I bet she's fun."

"And a handful." Carly finished as she bit her lower lip, put the finishing touches on the twins makeup for the night and then stepped back and asked, "Well?"

"This is so much better than the last woman. She kept getting lipstick on our teeth, it was kind of gross actually."

"I hate when that happens." Carly chuckled as she talked to them a little more, let them walk out before flopping into the chair, and checking her cell phone when she realized it was glowing, indicating a new call or text.

In anger, she threw it into the hallway, swearing quietly, but not that quietly. A few seconds later, a man with heavy dark facial hair and just an overall creepy nature stepped in, smirking in mirth as he held out her cell phone.

"I, err, yeah.. Thanks.. Just pretend I didn't just completely fucking lose it on a technological device, would ya?"

"Don't believe we've met." Bray Wyatt said as he looked from her to the little girl who was asleep a few feet away before adding, "I'm Bray Wyatt."

"Caroline Levesque – Bowen.. That little girl's my daughter, Amira.. I'm guessing I'm supposed to do your stage makeup?" she asked, consulting her notes from the previous hair and makeup girl. Bray nodded and then asked in curiousity, "Are you alright?"

"Trust me ,you don't want my answer. I'm not in a very good mood tonight."

Bray nodded and then the little girl woke up, and upon seeing him, she clapped and laughed then said "Mama! It the funny man!"

Bray studied her in amusement and then asked, "Whats your name, darlin?"

"Amira."

"I'm Bray Wyatt."

"I know.. I like you brother's mask. I want one, mama say they too creepy."

Bray snickered and walked out, Carly had just finished his stage makeup. It amazed him the little kid hadn't ran to the nearest corner, shaking like a leaf.. Most kids, hell some adults back here, even, seemed to.

Maybe it's get interesting with a child around backstage.

Now that Amira was awake, she decided to bug her mommy to take her on a walk around the backstage. Parts of her hoped she'd bump into her all time favorite wrestlers, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Roman Reigns, or even if she were lucky, Dean Ambrose..

Of all of them, she kinda hoped she bumped into Dean Ambrose the most. But of course, her mommy was working on people's hair and their makeup, so she had to wait.

About halfway through the show, though, her grandpa came in and he took her with him to catering.. And then she saw them, lingering in the hallway, whispering amongst themselves and she squealed loudly before she could stop herself, clapping her hands.

"You like the bad guys?"

"They bad?"

HHH groaned inwardly and then muttered, "Ami, you are so funny sometimes." as they walked into catering, sitting down but only after she'd gotten a cheeseburger and was picking it apart systematically from the comfort of her grandfather's lap.

Across the room, John Cena poked Randy Orton and said "Hey.. The little blonde cutie is in here.. The one you were checking out her mommy earlier when they walked in?"

Randy looked over, stifled a laugh as he watched the little girl disassembling a cheeseburger only to eat all of it's parts seperately, and messily, from HHH's lap.

"Hey, weren't they with HHH?"

"Yeah.. Some guys are saying that's his older daughter from a previous relationship or something.. Did you see the shiner though?"  
"Where?" Randy asked as he looked at his friend, trying to remember if he'd seen a bruise on either of them or not..

"On her cheek man. One of the guys was standing by HHH when the kid called him earlier, said it sounded like World war 3 in the house."

"Cena? Do you eavesdrop on everything?"

"Only when it's something I wanna know." John said as he took a bite of his own burger, burst into laughter at the little girl's obvious annoyance at the sudden appearance of Damien Sandow, who was still trying to get Triple H to do something, reign in his former tag team partner, Cody Rhodes.

They both laughed, however when the girl interrupted loudly and said casually, "Mr... I saw that match and you screw him over. If he steal the case again, it you own fault."

"Damn.. Kid's feisty." Randy said as he laughed a little, watching Damien Sandow try yet again to explain how he'd done nothing wrong and the little girl just blatantly ignoring his speech, or even rolling her eyes.

At her age, she still thought a lot of it was real, though.

A few moments went by, and they thought they heard and saw HHH getting up, walking out with Amira on his broad shoulders, but they heard a throat clearing and looked down to find the little blonde girl standing there, looking up at them.

"Can I sees you briefcase? It red.. I like the color red. Maybe it make you lucky." Amira asked quietly, obviously in awe of seeing one of her favorites in person.

Randy laughed and showed her the briefcase, talked to her a few minutes, or rather let her talk to him. Which she seemed to have no problem doing, for the most part.. She was pretty shy to start off with, quiet voice, scared tone to it, but in a few minutes, she'd sort of gotten used to the men, so she was okay, sort of.

As Amira talked ot him, she kept reminding herself of what her daddy said to her before the cops took him away. She saw her grandpa come in, looking for her and she said quietly, "I see you all later. I go now." as she skipped off, sipping on a chocolate milk she'd managed to get out of Brodus Clay.

"You get the feeling that little kid's been through a lot? And so has mommy?"

"Yeah, man." Randy said as he resumed eating his food. Wasn't his business, so he was going to do his best to stay out for now.

At least until he decided if he wanted to get to know mommy and daughter better, of course.

Carly flopped into a chair as she raked her hand through her hair, went back to trying to watch the show on the monitor, trying to catch up so she wouldn't feel like such a fish out of water when the people came in for hair and makeup.

She'd just started swearing at the tv, over a call the ref made when she heard male laughter from the door and looked up, finding Curtis Axle standing there with Paul Heyman.

"My client needs stage makeup. He's got a nasty bruise, it needs to disappear."

Carly bit her tongue because she was about to remark about how if his client weren't such a bumbling idiot in the ring, maybe he wouldn't need to make bruises disappear, but before she could, Paul really pissed her off by remarking, "Just hopefully she does better on your makeup, Curtis, than she does on her own."

"Excuse me? Are you serious right now you beady eyed, greasy haired little troll?" she asked with a calm sweet smirk as she studied him, her hand on her hip.

Curtis smirked, winked at her, then noticed what Paul was talking about. "Who the hell did that to you?"

"Someone who almost lost his cock and balls.. Wanna join the ranks?" Carly asked quickly as she bit her lip and muttered a hasty apology, "I'm sorry, it's been one hell of a night and Frodo the Hobbit's sense of humor just pissed me off because it reminded me of what happened before I got here." dropping silent as she set to work covering the bruise.

When she finished she turned and said calmly, "Oh yeah and Frodo?"

"My name.. Is Paul Heyman.."

"Damn Frodo, don't get short with me.. But seriously though.. If you ever talk to me like that again, let's just say you won't like what happens as a direct result.. My personal life? None of your damn concern."

"Yet you told Curtis Axle everything when he asked."

"Because I've got nothing to hide as far as how I got these bruises. Not beat it before I find the guy I know back here who can give you a few of your own."

"Oh really, and who is that?" Paul asked in curiousity, wondering how such a mouthy girl got the job as hair and makeup and what it might take to make her go away for good.. She had to have slept with someone to get the job. If he exposed it..

She was nothing if not rude, bad night or not, no excuse.. Nobody had the right to speak to him like that, or so he thought.

"My dad. Paul Levesque?"

Paul Heyman gaped at her, eyes going even beadier for a moment as she waved and said casually, "Buhbye now."

Once he was out the door she grumbled "I hate that man's voice.. And he looks like an asshole. And his client, well one of them is a steroid crunching moron and this guy, Curtis.. He looks like he's too damn stupid to know his head from his ass. If they're all like that guy, my dad has nothing to worry about.. nada, nein, zilch." as she dropped into the chair again, getting back into the show.

The night came to an end, and just as she walked out of the arena, Nrkki and Brie walked over, stopping her at her rental car.

"Ohmigosh, mommy.. It the Bella Twins." Amira gasped as she said "I like you both more than the other girls.. I loves twin magic."

The twins laughed and then said "And you're the cutest little thing.. I love that shirt and those shoes. You, little girl, have killer fashion sense because neither of us would have ever thought of wearing a tutu, fairy wings and sneakers with a tiara."

Amira giggled and then said "Thank you." shyly as she let them pick her up, listening to them talk to her mommy.

After a few more moments, Brie and Nikki said casually, "So.. The other bitches are lame and we're not in the mood to go out.. We were thinking maybe we could all sit up in one of our hotel rooms and get to know each other? I mean, normally, we do not do this, but you proved you were cool when you said what you did about AJ Lee earlier."

"I'd like that. It'll keep my mind off tonight.. And besides.. I was just calling it like I saw it."

Amira spoke up and said with a disgusted face, "AJ make me so mad. She just keep doing stupid stuffs. Why you cut up money? She coulda spent it, made him really, really mad."

"Ooh.. Love this little girl." Nikki said with a laugh as Brie added, "Or she could have made copies of his keys, gave them to every single woman she saw at the arena that night.. But you're right, Amira.. She does a lot of stupid stuffs."

"When you gon take her belt?"

"Hopefully, very soon." the sisters said as they all piled into the rental car the twins drove and headed to the hotel.

Okay, so tonight had been interesting. And Carly was actually starting to feel like she might finally be able to stay away from her ex.

The cell phone rang again and she growled as she realized it was his number, calling her, yet again. She let voicemail take the call and then made up an excuse about it being a wrong number, how she didn't answer them.

Something told the twins it was a cover, but for now, they said nothing. They finally had a decent friend to talk to, and they didn't want to make her uncomfortable or anything.

Carly found herself wishing she'd given the squeeze to the trigger earlier and gotten rid of her ex.. And if she figured out which one of his idiot friends came all the way here to bail him out of jail? She was going to kill them with her bare hands.

That's how done with this situation she was. She'd put up with it long enough, she'd stupidly put her little girl through a living hell long enough. And for nothing, when she really thought about it.

As the three women and Amira sat around talking that night, they asked abut her ex and she sighed as she answered, "Long story short, sometimes dating your life long best friend is not advisable. And now, he's just being plain creepy. I sort of get this feeling that he's just not going to give up, but I'm out, Amira's out, that's all that matters, right?"

"And if he shows up, trust me.. We'll help you figure something out. I hate men like that."

"They make me sick."

"Same here. I just can't believe he was a monster this whole time and I didn't see it until after I stupidly went and got involved with him.. I mean I had nowhere to go at the time, had nobody supporting my decision to keep Amira after I was raped, but him.. I guess when he started saying all the sweet stuff he did, and talking about how he'd been dying for a chance to show me we belonged together, forever, me being the stupid kid I was at 19, hey.. I believed it."

Brie and Nikki looked at her and then said in unison, " Wow."

"Tell me my men radar isn't shit." Carly said as she leaned back in the chair and said quietly, "Sometimes I blame myself for all of it. But trust me.. After this jerk? I'm done with the male species."

"So you're not going to date, ever?"

"That's the plan, girls."

"You seriously cannot mean that."

"Oh trust me.. I can and I do. Every guy I've ever encountered has been a jerk in some way, shape or form. And the worst ones pretend to be nice guys."

"But if you were looking, what would you look for?"

"Hypothetically? I don't even know the answer to be honest. I know a million things I wouldn't look for. Maybe the guy to be honest up front about his intentions and not being a lying shit about it to get in my pants?"

The twins laughed and then said with a smirk, "Good answer."

"It's an honest one."

The twins went back to their hotel room around midnight, and Carly sank into bed next to her sleeping like a rock baby girl, lying there, looking up at the ceiling as she thought about everything she wanted to accomplish.

Tonight, starting her new job, she'd really enjoyed it more than she expected. And she'd made two good friends to talk to. Maybe this whole process wouldn't be as hard as she thought. And the more they moved around, the harder it'd be for her ex to track her and show up, raise hell or hurt her.

She couldn't wait for costume fittings the next day, because this would be the first time she'd tried to do anything like that, designing costumes.. She'd always drawn them, but never actually gotten a finished product, because she just never felt overly confident that her 'designs' would be liked..

Now she was getting a chance to see if she could do this, try new things. She liked this, it felt like an adventure for her. Constantly changing scenery, she got to meet interesting people and even better, she got to bond with her birth father after a life half spent not knowing him.

So far, things were looking 100 percent better.


	3. Chapter 3

_CHAPTER TWO: A RUN IN WITH THE BEAST, AMIRA GETS A KITTY AND MEETS THE SHIELD  
_

The sudden appearance of a huge man in her backstage area had Carly raising her brows as she raked her hand through blonde hair. She recognized the guy, of course, from the dealings her father had with him, they hated one another, and she knew that the man was another of Heyman's 'clients'.

"What?"

"Just thought I'd stop in, see if Levesque's oldest daughter was really as hot as everyone claimed. I'm.." Brock Lesnar said as he practically leered at her. He noticed her shrinking back, noticed the bruises, didn't honestly care. He'd found someone that appealed to him, he wasn't worried about anything but making sure she knew how things were going to go, one way or another.

"Seriously? You're hitting on me? Now?" Carly asked, laughing a little, then falling silent as she looked at him. Something about the guy was even more off in person than the scant handful of times she'd seen him on television on the show.

She backed away again, only to have him moving in closer. It unnerved her and also annoyed her, she wasn't a fan of her personal space being invaded and this jerk, well..

He certainly seemed to think that she enjoyed it for whatever reason.

"Lemme guess.. Brock Lesnar? I've seen you around, actually, not interested.. Do you need anything, or?" she asked, studying him as she continued to back up. Amira watched the 'confrontation' like a hawk before speaking up, "My mommy don't like you. Leave." as she pointed to the door.

Carly gave her daughter a slight smile, but a look and reminded her, "Mommy probably has to do his makeup or something.."

"Actually, you don't. Real men don't wear makeup." Brock informed her, staring at her intently, yet again as he kept walking towards her, then he asked, "What's wrong?"

"We're gonna have major issues, aren't we? See, Lesnar, I'm not a fan of having my personal space invaded." Carly started as she glared at him and then added, "And if you keep coming towards me, man, I promise you, you will not like the outcome."

"Oh really, I mean you look tiny, looks like you probably couldn't hurt a fly." Brock said taunting her as he stopped and then said calmly, "When I want something, I'll do whatever it takes to get it. You should be a lot nicer to me because I can hurt your old man."

"Sure you can, Lesnar." Paul Levesque said from the doorway as he added, "Beat it before I find a sledgehammer and shove it down your throat this time."

Brock glared but finally walked out as he said casually, "Cute daughter, Levesque.. But you might wanna remind her that the hired help isn't allowed to mouth off like she does."

Carly's father jumped at him, sneering and Brock flinched for a millisecond, before making a hasty and rather angry retreat.

"What is it about those two nimrods that Heyman manages.. I mean are they just that stupid, or do they not know what the words No or I don't fucking like you, not in the slightest mean?" Carly asked her father as she dumped roses left on her makeup table by Axle first thing that afternoon when she'd arrived, into the trash.

"Who gave you the flowers?"

"Oh.. That'd be Tweedledum, pops." Carly said in mild amusement, mostly in sarcasm as she bit her lip, grumbled because a thorn pricked her finger.

"Want me to have a word with 'em?" her father asked her in concern as Carly shrugged and said "Why bother? If I don't like 'em, there's really no need in stirring the hornet's nest, now is there?"

And then they heard Lesnar's theme song, down in the ring.

Carly glared as her father, HHH groaned and muttered, "What the fuck is this? He's not even supposed to be here tonight.. He better not be about to do what I think he's about to do."

Brock paced in the ring, a smirk on his face as he held the mic in his hands.

"Hey Hunter?"

Carly's father turned to Stephanie, who'd just walked in to find out what the hell Lesnar was up to now, wondering if this were the very real situation between himself and CM Punk again, but then she heard Lesnar calling out her husband of all people. She groaned, tried to calm her husband and then Brock really did it.

"That daughter of yours.. Caroline, isn't it? She's cute.. And one way or another, HHH.. I get what I want.."

"Is he fucking serious right now?" Carly asked as she laughed and balanced Amira from one hip to the other, watching the monitor intently, wondering if she should go down, say something.. After all, she wasn't fully used to having a father around, having family that didn't mind fighting her battles for her, she was the type of girl who much preferrred fighting said battles on her own, really.

"Unfortunately, sweetheart, yeah.. He is. Dad's got this."

"Oh no daddy, let me.. I insist. Just keep Amira back here."

"You can't go out there."

"Who the hell says I can't? He wants to make this real? He wants to create this insanely delusional world in his mind where I belong to him, or I will? He's gonna get a cold hard reality check.. I mean the guy's practically begging me to make an ass of him, daddy, simple as that." Carly said as she scowled at the screen where Brock Lesnar continued to speak.

"Even if it means taking you apart limb from limb in front of her.. She needs a man, Hunter. You know it, I know it.. Maybe if she had one, she wouldn't be so damn mouthy."

"Oh that does it." Carly said as she made a move to go out the door, only to be stopped by her father who said, "If you go down there, Carly, that means you're on tv.. And that means if your ex is watching? He knows where to find you again. Let me handle this."

"This time, fine, dad. But next time, I'm going to be woman enough to go down there and feed that guy his ballsack." Carly said calmly as she looked at Amira and then said quietly, "I know, baby, he scares you too. Mommy's gonna make sure he doesn't mess with you, or me, okay?"

Amira nodded and then thought of her own little plan...

She was trying to find a daddy while they were on the road with her grandfather.. Maybe this situation was a good test for the two or three men she had in mind.

HHH grabbed a mic and his sledgehammer, walked down to the ring and slid in, mouthing, "You want a piece? Here I am." as he looked the guy over.

"You really think this is gonna work?"

Brock looked at him, on the verge of laughter as he said "I already beat you once. I'm the beast incarnate."

HHH laughed as he looked at him and said "Oh wait.. you're serious.. So how many of those steroids ARE you takin, buddy? Because from where I stand, if you even think you're gonna get anywhere near anyone I love? You're gonna die trying."

"Oh really? Because it's funny you mention that, HHH.. Didn't I just beat you at Wrestlemania? And then the next night, Axle almost finished you? Why don't you do everyone a favor and retire already.. You've got nothing left, man."

HHH paced and then said "I could do that.. Or I could just do this.." as he swung the sledgehammer in Lesnar's direction again, smirking as he did so, then went for the signature finisher, Pedigree. He leaned over Brock and then laughing said into the mic, "You maybe wanna try something that fucking stupid again, Lesnar? My father in law might think you're good for business, man.. But between you and me, if I were over this show? Your ass would be gone. You're crossing lines left and right, and sooner or later, man, you're gonna piss the wrong person off backstage."

Brock growled and lunged only to have HHH laugh and shove him. "Oh.. I'm dying to fight right now, buddy.. So if you really wanna do this, tonight, you and me.. In a Tables match."

"Let's do it." Brock said in anger as HHH said, "Oh and Lesnar? The next time you even think about mentioning Stephanie or ANY of my kids on the air.. I'll fucking murder you."

The censors caught his obscenity and he shrugged and mouthed cheekily, "Oops, that wasn't very pg of me, was it?"

Backstage, Amira gaped at the tv, because her grandfather just said the F word on tv, as Carly and Stephanie groaned. Carly sighed and muttered quietly, "Sorry.. If I'd known coming on the road with you guys was gonna start this shitstorm all over again, I'd have.."

"You're family now, Caroline." Stephanie said as she looked at her stepdaughter and then smiled and said "Besides, Lesnar's just been on one lately. It's not your fault, Caroline."

"Yeah, but if I hadn't mouthed off, Mom, he wouldn't have felt the need to pull that, would he?"

"Oh trust me, he was going to do that either way. He's a jerk like that, Caroline."

"You can call me Carly, and yes, I'm sort of realizing this.. I think Brie and Nikki warned me about the guy, and a few others too."

"Such as?" Stephanie asked in curiousity as she made room in her lap for Amira to sit with Aurora and Murphy while she listened.

"Just some guy named Dean Ambrose, and his two friends, that Bray Wyatt guy, and then they told me that there were a few guys back here who were pretty much just manwhores. I think they were Randy Orton, Mike Mizanin and some of the other guys.." Carly said as she leaned back in the couch, took a sip of water and said "This is a lot for me to get used to, but I wanted to thank you guys for being there for me.. I mean I hate that my mom did this, waited until NOW to tell me about my father.."

"I do too.. I used to try and make your father get her to admit it all the time.. I just had this feeling the first time he went to visit her when she was in that rehab in Arizona, and I met you."

"I always felt closer to him than my mom's other guy friends, I just never assumed that was the reason why." Carly said as she took a sip of bottled water, laughed as the door to the makeup and hair area opened and her father walked in.

"So, dad... Now you get to explain to your granddaughter why the F Word is a bad one. Last week I had to explain Damn, Hell and some other ones.. " Carly said with a smirk as Paul groaned and said "I didn't mean to say that on the air, it slipped out.. But I've wanted that guy gone so damn long it's not funny."

"So I've noticed. No worries, dad. I don't blame you one bit.. And trust me.. Not the slightest bit interested in him. In fact, the guy kinda scares me, he like, he kept walking towards me even after I kept backing up and it was kind of like.."

"Like Brett." her father asked as he looked at her, angry again about the crap her ex put her through.

"Yeah. Exactly like him.. And trust me.. I can tell. Just be careful out there tonight, dad?"

"Don't worry about me.. If he messes with you again, Carly, come find me."

"If I don't kick him in the balls first." Carly insisted as her father laughed a little then said "Oh no you don't."

"Daad, really? I'm grown. And I've been standing up for myself since I could walk. You know this, though, you came to visit mom."

"Yeah, I did.. And it really used to piss me off that you never actually got to enjoy your childhood."

She sighed and shrugging said "I've gotta get back to work now. We still on for going to Joe's Crab Shack later? I'm telling you guys, it's amazing. I ate there while I was on Spring break in college."

"Sure. We'll come back by and check on you guys later." Stephanie said as she added, "And Carly?"

"Yeah?"

"You're family now, it's okay to need us."

Carly nodded and then said with a smile, "I know, I know.. I'm trying to get used to all this." as she got back to work setting up her workstation.

About ten minutes later, the door opened and Brie Bella walked in with Nikki hot on her heels, the two women visibly angered.

"Whoa, hold up.. What's going on?"

"That new bitch, Eva Marie."

"Oh my god yes. I'm going to choke her, I swear to God, it will happen, live and on tv. And maybe tonight if she keeps pushing me. She keeps flirting with my man."

'And mine."

"Do they flirt back?" Carly asked as she looked at the twins who calmed down a little, thought things through then shook their heads no. "So then you two have nothing to worry about.. I do believe if either John or Daniel were going to screw around, the last person they'd do that with is Eva Marie. I mean you two are all those two cupid shot dumbasses talk about when they're in my chair, and you're my girls, so why would I make this up?"

"Thanks." the twins said as they asked, "So.. What about you? Heard Lesnar came by?"

"God yes.. You guys were exactly right about him. Exactly right, I mean.. He disgusts me. My dad almost lost it on him, did you see that?"

"Haha, yeah. We saw it." Nikki said as she remembered something and said with a smirk, "Ami's awake, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We got her something at the mall earlier.. We remembered you guys were decorating that cottage behind your parents place and we saw it.. She had to have it."

"This isn't good, is it?"

The meowing in the box had Carly groaning as she laughed a little and then pointed out, "Anyone ever told you both that for two of the biggest heel divas on the roster, you are softies where my kid's concerned?"

"The cat's for you too, Carly."

"Yeah, we thought you guys needed a little male companionship and Daniel pointed out that cats have super good hearing."

"Ahh.. So you guys bought us a ninja kitty?"

"Basically, yes."

Amira walked over and peeked in the box, giggling as the cat raised it's head up, started to rub her cheeks. "Can we keep him, mommy? Please?"

"Sure. At least it's not a pony or a goat or something.. Thank your aunts, Ami." Carly said as Brie and Nikki let Amira hug then and then asked, "Are you going down to the ring with us tonight?"

"Are you two sure it's a good idea?"

"What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"Umm, she could nail your opponents with a chair like last time? Or tie their shoelaces together?"

"Right.. But see, that's not the worst that could happen to us.. Our opponents, yes, not us.. Besides, we like dressing her up. She's like our little girl too." the twins pleaded as Carly pretended to think it over and then said "Sure.. I actually have to work on new costume ideas I had."

"Ooh, can we see?"

"Yeah." Carly said as she dug around, found the sketch pad and held it out.

"Those have to be ours!"

"They are actually.. Wanna see the one I did for AJ?"

"It's bad isn't it?"

Carly shrugged mysteriously, flipped the page over and the twins howled with laughter before saying, "So we'll be back in a little bit to pick up our little buddy.. And you.. Try not to anger the ape too much, yeah?"

"We hear he's probably on something, I mean with the way he's acting.." Brie said as Nikki nodded in agreement.

When they'd left, the door opened again and Carly rolled her eyes as in walked AJ Lee. AJ sat down and said bitterly, "Try not to mess up my face?"

"I'll try to improve it, not making any promises though." Carly said sarcastically as she smirked and started to work on the roster's 'crazy chick'

Amira happened to notice the door open and when her mommy wasn't looking, she tiptoed out, her cat in her arms..

"I don't likes her, Bobo." Amira muttered about AJ as she carried her black and white kitten down the hallway, looking around so she'd know what way to go to get back to her mommy when she was done wandering. She happened to smack into legs and looking up, she giggled as she noticed Bray Wyatt standing there, holding out a children's mask like the one that she'd said she wanted earlier in the week.

"I see somebody got you a cat, darlin."

"Mhmm.. My godmommies did, sir."

"Well, your buddy Bray got you a mask of your own, kiddo."

"Thank you." Amira said shyly as she thought about mentioning Brock earlier.

She changed her mind.. She saw the man in front of her as more of a crazy uncle, not a daddy.

She'd wait until she bumped into one of the men she wanted to be her daddy, while she was wandering around to tell them.

"I gonna goes to catering, Mr. Wyatt? Does you want a soda?"

"Nah, kid, I got some water." Bray said as he nodded her off in the right direction and warned her, "Just stay out of certain areas."

"O-otay."

As she skipped off down the hallway, she wondered what certain areas he'd been talking about.. But then again the man was kinda nuts, because he thought everybody was lying most of the time. So maybe he just thought there was danger backstage.

She continued working her way down the hallway, keeping an eye on the time, because she was going to have to hurry if she wanted to go down to the ring with her mommy's friends the Bella Twins. She'd just turned a corner when her cat darted out of her arms, up a curtain.

She grumbled and scowled, was about to climb up when a man spoke up from behind her and said "Oh no ya don't. Let an adult get that."

She recognized the voice almost as soon as he spoke.

Dean Ambrose.

She gaped at him as he grabbed the cat warily, handed it back to her and then asked, "Did you get away from the tour group, kid?"

She shook her head, the little girl couldn't speak, she was that awestruck currently.

"What do ya mean no?" Dean asked, wondering if the kid were another Hornswaggle or something.

Somehow, Amira found her voice and squeaked a little, "My mommy.. She works hair and makeup.. But she don't know I lefted the room.. I kinda snuck out. I wanted to think a little bit."

Dean nodded and then asked, "About?" wondering what the COO's grandkid could possibly have to think about, at her age, at that.

"How scart and mad my mommy was at that stupit Lesnar earlier. I thinks he sorta reminded her of my daddy.." Amira admitted as Dean raised a brow, then bent, picking up the kid..

He looked around and then realizing nobody was going to see him, demand he put the little girl down, or come and take her back where she belonged, he'd have to do it.

"It ain't smart to be wandering off alone, kid." Dean said calmly, as he asked, "So... Lesnar.. He scared your mom earlier?"

"Mhmm."

Dean noticed her t shirt then and then smirking asked, "Ya watch the show?"

"All the time."

In the dressing room, Carly groaned as she palmed her face and tried again looking in all of Amira's normal hiding spots. "Dang it, Ami. Don't do this to Mommy, not today, kiddo." Carly said as she heard a throat clearing from the doorway.

She stood and found of all people standing in the doorway, the three guys in the Shield, with Amira -and her new kitten- sitting on Dean's shoulder.

"Lose something?" Seth asked the blonde in amusement as he smirked, looked her over slowly. Carly, however, didn't seem to notice, she was too busy getting Amira down, thanking the three men and then saying calmly, "She doesn't always do this.. And if I hadn't been doing makeup, she wouldn't have gotten away. It won't happen again and I'm sorry if she bugged you."

The three men shrugged and Roman and Dean glared at one another, they really hadn't expected mommy to be hot or anything, honestly..

Finally, Seth rolled his eyes in annoyance at his two friends and smirking said "Seth Rollins.. These speechless retards behind me are Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns.. "

"Yeah.. I kind of knew that. I figured sooner or later Ami would go off looking for you guys. It's so cute, she's a huge fan."

"And you?" Roman asked as Carly shrugged and said "I'm starting to get into the whole thing.. I mean my dad loves professional wrestling.. I'm kind of seeing why.. It's gotta be fun to be somebody different when cameras roll, to be able to just go out there and completely beat the crap out of someone.. Trust me.. Had I been able to, I'd have probably went down and choked Lesnar on his own damn tongue earlier." as she shrugged.

Dean held her gaze a moment.. He sort of got this sense about her, even though everything in him was practically screaming "She's gonna be another one of those 'poor little rich bitches' she'd only notice ya if she wanted to piss off daddy."

But something about her seemed to make him think otherwise, and it made him curious. Unfortunately, it also had Roman's interest piqued.

"In or out guys.. If I see that damn ape lurking in the hallway again tonight, I'm probably gonna choke him." Carly said patiently, as she turned on an ancient radio, adjusting the radio until she found Metallica.

Amira started to hum along and then said casually, "Thanks you for getting my cat down offa the curtain, Mr. "

"Not a problem, kid." Dean said casually as he asked Carly, "So... Your husband's cool with this?"

"Never married. Not sure if I'll ever get married either. Men are either assholes pretending to be good guys, or they're good, yet taken.. And the ones who seem to find me are usually the worst of the lot." Carly admitted as Roman started to cough the word "Ambrose" but instead suggested with a wink, "Hey.. Speaking as a guy, I can take offense to that."

"Oh, I meant no offense, it's just.. Kind of coming out of a really, really nightmarish relationship." Carly said quickly as she looked at the three men, shrugged and then added, "I'm sorry, I just... I blurt shit out. I don't ever think before I say anything, because personally, bullshit annoys me."

Amira put her cat in it's little 'box bed' and then walked over to the men shyly, holding her journal.. She'd gotten a few other of the Superstars to sign, she wanted to see if they would now.

"Can you signs my journal?"

Roman chuckled, took the journal from her and signed his name. Then Dean got it and signed his name, and handed it to Seth who signed, handed it back to Amira.

After apologizing again, the guys told her that it was alright, she didn't have to keep apologizing, and then left. When the door shut, she looked at Amira and then asked, "Well? How'd it feel? I'd be mad at you for sneaking off, baby girl.. But I can't say I'd blame you, either, being in a place full of people you only get to see on tv any other time."

"I wike them, mommy."

"I noticed, Ami." Carly said before putting on her s tern voice and then saying firmly, "But you cannot just go sneaking off like that, not right now."

"I sorry, mommy.." Amira pouted as she smiled to herself when her mommy wasn't looking..

She'd sort of accomplished what she set out to , and now, she just had to keep trying.. Sooner or later, things would fall into place.

When her 'godmommies' showed up to take her to the ring, she sat at the announcers table, talking animatedly to JBL and Jerry Lawler, telling them about her adventures backstage.

Carly laughed as she watched her daughter at ring side and said quietly, "Ami, little girl, you are so damn silly." to herself as she ate nachos and sipped a soda.


	4. Chapter 4

_CHAPTER THREE: A WHITE KNIGHT IN BLACK RIOT GEAR  
_

"Really, Lesnar?" Carly said in annoyance as the ape - like male cornered her, smirking as he leaned in closer. A faked pout crossed his lips for a moment, and then the scary hollow look was back in his eyes as he said in a low growling voice, "At least smile, babe.. You're on camera."

She groaned as she spotted the camera crew behind him and then said through gritted teeth, "Do the world a favor, Lesnar.. Those steroids you're on? Go take about three hands full of them. Maybe you'll die or something."

"She really does like me, she's just camera shy." Brock insisted as Carly turned to the camera men and said "And if you idiots are smart? You'll cut the damn cameras, stop encouraging him. I'm not back here to be in the damn spotlight, I'm back here to do a job."

"Gonna challenge your daddy tonight.. And if I win? You belong to me." Brock said with a sneer as he turned to the camera men and said calmly, "Enough guys."

Shoving them towards the door, he shut the door, turned to her. But almost as soon as he stood thisclose to her, the door was being banged on and a very angry Dean Ambrose stood outside, bitching about how she was there to do wardrobe and hair, not fuck everything on the lineup with a pulse.

She rolled her eyes upward, apparently someone had it in for her today, and big time. But in some ways, she felt better knowing he was standing right outside the door.. It'd take crazy to get rid of Lesnar, because her sharp wit and her being a complete bitch towards him had done nothing but make the man all the more persistant.

The door flew open and Dean glared at Lesnar then looked at her. He realized what he'd interrupted, realized just how much the ape like man actually scared her, and he laughed a little as he said calmly, "Hey Lesnar?"

"What you little shit?"

Before Brock could really say anything, Dean had grabbed one of the folding directors chairs, nailing Brock in the face with it. Once Brock was down, he hit him a few more times and then leaned over him as he said with an evil smirk, "Now get the fuck outta here before I really lose it." before turning to Carly and just looking at her a moment.

"What?"

"A thanks would be nice ya know."

"Thanks, I think.. And for your information, Dean.. If I were in here fucking someone? It wouldn't exactly be a secret." she smirked as she pointed him to the remaining unbroken directors chair in front of the makeup chair. "Lemme guess.. Gotta cover that bruise?"

"Funny, Caroline."

"It's Carly. I ain't no princess. Got it?" Carly said as she popped a noisy bubble with her gum, trying to ignore the close proximity she had to stand in front of him, almost sitting on the edge of his lap, as she worked on covering up the bruise from a fight earlier in the show.

"Right, ya not." Dean said with a casual smirk as he eyed her and tried to ignore the way she was having to crouch almost in his lap to reach his face properly. He could tell she was skittish, he wondered why. He almost asked but when she turned her back to him to grab another brush, he caught sight of a long jagged scar running across her back.

"How'd ya get that?" he asked as she turned and tugged down her shirt and said through gritted teeth, "Not gonna talk about it.. And trust me, you don't know me, Ambrose. From what I've heard about you? Not sure if I wanna change that."

Dean glared at her. This was only encouraging him, he liked going around and around with her, it'd gotten so that he came in a lot more than he had with the old makeup and hair person, just to try and unnerve her.

He kept telling himself it was because he just wanted to see her crack, but deep down, he wasn't too sure if that were it anymore.

She'd only been here a week or two,three tops, though, so he was pretty damn sure that the reason he gave himself for coming by had to be the only reason.

Because it had to.

"All done." she muttered as she stepped back, letting him see, biting her thumb in thought as she looked at him before making the assessment, "You do this to get to me, don't ya?"

"Maybe so."

"It's not gonna work. There's a lot about me nobody knows, Ambrose. It's gonna stay that way, it has to." Carly stated as she raked her hand through her hair, smirking as her words hit their mark, made his stormy blue eyes flash in sudden anger. She pretended to pout and then said calmly, "Aww.. did I upset you?"

"Caroline, if ya smart, ya won't piss me off.. If ya think Lesnar's scary? Try pissin me off."

She laughed bitterly and then said with a shrug, "Try me. Been through hell and back, it's highly doubtful there's anything you can do to make things worse." as she leaned in close to him, winked and added, "Nice try though."

He smirked as he leaned in closer and almost brushed his lips against her face. For a second, he hesitated then smirking said "Nah.. Not stupid enough to fall for that.. You'd run screamin for daddy so damn fast it's not funny.. Because Caroline, if there's one thing I know.. You are a little princess."

She leaned in as he had and then laughing said with a wink, "Just keep thinkin that, Ambrose. Just keep thinkin that. Nice talking to you, as always." before standing, shaking off the strong affect he seemed to have on her whenever they had these bizarre little verbal arguments.

She'd never let on, but she was actually flirting with him. But she wasn't stupid, of course, she knew that given her current situation, her past mistakes, and the fact that she was too old to be playing these games with the wrong guy at that, even though it felt right, oddly enough.. Suffice to say, she wasn't about to get sucked into it with him.

_'oh come on, carly.. you know you want the guy. face it. he's under your damn skin so bad that you can taste it almost. it's why you keep slipping up and responding to his taunts, letting him make you angry.'_

"Same to ya." he said with a cocky smirk as he walked out the doorway, just as Amira and the Bellas walked in. He scowled at the Bellas, he had this feeling that they were the ones warning Carly about him. And it really, really was starting to get on his last nerve.

"Mommy! Did you sees me? I waved!" Amira chattered as she gave Dean a tug to the black pants he wore and motioned for him to lean down.

"What's up, short stuff?" Dean asked as Amira giggled and then whispered, " I gives you somethin.. For lucks."

"What's that?"

She placed her glow in the dark Batman watch in his hand and then giggled, letting him put her down. She ran over to her little table and flopped into her chair, digging around to find her coloring books.

Brie and Nikki watched Dean walking out, then Brie shut the door behind her firmly as she laughed and said "Let me guess.. He came in here, got you all angry and now you want to punch something."

"Mhmm, that's about the size of it. Don't worry girls, the charm hasn't come out from him a single time.. I honestly don't think the guy knows what charm is.. At least he's honest." Carly shrugged as she raked her hand through her hair and flopped onto the couch, sipping a soda, then said calmly, " What really pisses me off is how he's under my damn skin, he doesn't even have to try, really."

The twins exchanged a look and both said at the same time, "Whoa, slow down.. This is not good, Carly, not at all."

"What? I said under my skin.. As in the irritating way, not the love way." Carly said as Brie laughed and said "That's how it all starts, Carly."

Nikki nodded and said "It started that way with me and John."

"And with me and Daniel." Brie pointed out as Carly shook her head and took a long sip of her soda to muffle her saying, "Gotta hand it to him though, he's damn easy on the eyes."

"WHAT?"

"OH HELL NO, CARLY. AS YOUR BEST FRIENDS, WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN."

"Why are you two shouting?" Carly asked in amusement, playing off her very true statement from just now as if it were a joke.

"Because.. He's insane.. He'll hurt you and he'll laugh about it. And you've already been through enough." the twins exclaimed in a rush as they looked at her in concern.

"Speaking of the hell I've been through.. That jerk showed up at the hotel last night.. he had the nerve to tell me that he was going for custody of Amira.."

"Oh hell no. Is he still there?"

Carly smirked and shaking her head said "Nah, my daddy and Shawn took care of him. I kicked him in the balls first though. And then ripped up the custody hearing papers. Because with everything I've been storing away on him? There's no way in hell a judge is going to hand over my angel to that son of a .."

"Little ears, bestie, little ears." the twins reminded her as Carly leaned in and finished in a whisper, "He tried to see her last night, said he had to tell her something.. Whatever it was, she started having the nightmares again. Next time he shows up? I'm gonna finish what I almost started the night he broke into the guest house."

"Whoa, slow down, calm down.. You can't do that.."

"Wanna bet? Self defense.. I'll plead self defense or temporary insanity." Carly said with a smirk as the twins looked at her and then said "But Amira.. You're all she's got."

"Which is exactly why I have to do something about him showing up and doing this shit, girls.. I don't want Amira to look back and see the times he made me cry, scared us to death.. I want her to know her mommy is a strong and capable person. I don't want her to grow up afraid of men. So I have to get this guy out of our lives. It's as simple as that, really. I bought him into our lives, I gotta get him out."

"That kind of makes sense, but nope.. As your best friends, we're calling you on it.. Amira knows you're strong, Carly. She doesn't need you dying or getting locked up to prove it."

"True, but.. He's got friends in on this.. I have to do something."

Amira listened to the quiet whispers of the adults a few feet away, and when she knew they weren't looking, she crept out the door and down the hallway, searching until she came to the closed door, heard the three men laughing behind it.

She knocked and waited, pacing, her little feet making small noises in the otherwise quiet area.

The door opened and Seth chuckled as he said over his shoulder, "Umm, guys? All plans for total world domination need to be hushed now.. We got a visitor."

Dean walked over and looked at the daughter of the blonde hair and makeup girl he was currently semi obsessed with and then leaned down and asked, "What's wrong, short stuff?"

"I scart."

"Why?"

"Because last night, my daddy showed up at the hotel and he scart momma.. I think he was gonna try and get me like he said he was, but my poppa came and got rid of him. But he told me before he left that he was gonna be back tonight.. Can ya helps? Since ya fix in.. Injust..Injustice.. Yeah, that it, that the word, injustice.. I give ya all my tooth fairy money.."

"Ya mean like an assassin?" Dean asked, trying not to laugh as he raked his hand through his hair, studied the little girl. Roman walked over and sat down nearby as he said quietly, "Yeah kid, we'll help. I heard the whole damn fight last night, the guy's lucky I didn't come over and rip his throat out. But you aren't gonna pay us.. Keep the money, go buy that cat of yours something, okay?"

"Yeah.. Or go buy yaself something." Dean said as he added, "Did he say when?"

"I don't know, but I scart he gonna come back tonight."

"Gee whiz.. Guess it's a good thing we happen to have the room next door to yours then." Seth remarked with a smile as Dean and Roman glared at him, because he was sort of hinting at the fact that both guys were kind of hung up on mother and daughter.

"Otay, I go now.. I snucked out again.." Amira muttered as Roman and Dean said "We'll walk ya back.. Just in case he's in the building now."

Amira nodded and smiled a little, reluctantly pushing her money back down in the pocket of her skirt when they handed it back yet again. "You sure?"

"Yeah, short stuff. Keep it." Dean shrugged as the four of them made their way down the hallway. As they turned a corner, they bumped into the very person Amira was scared of seeing again. She squeaked and hid her face quickly as Dean asked her, "This the guy?"

"Mhmm.."

"Give me my fucking kid." Brett said as he glared at the three men in front of him.

"Yeah, how about no." Seth said as he crossed his arm, smirked.

Dean stepped up after he and Roman placed Amira on the floor, she'd been sitting awkwardly on both of their shoulders, and he leaned down and said calmly, "Get down the hallway to ya mom. Now. Shut the door."

Amira nodded, took off to run while Roman had her 'father' s arms in a vice grip behind his back as he sneered and asked, "Doesn't feel so damn good, does it?"

"What the hell is this any of your business?" Brett growled as he tried ramming his head back, only to have Roman duck and Dean punch him in the nose a few times for his troubles as Dean smirked and said "It just is, man." before punching him again.

Brett got loose and all hell broke loose in the hallway, loudly the noises of a fight drew people to the doors.

Carly looked up just in time to see a pale and shaking Amira come into the room and she ran over, kneeling in front of her daughter as she asked, "What's wrong?" in concern, her heart beating out of her chest almost as she looked over Amira carefully.

"He here, mommy.. He come to take me with him, he say he gonna take me from you." Amira started to cry as Carly growled and hugged her daughter then said quietly to her friends, "See what I mean? This shit has to end, I can't stand seeing this happen."

Brie and Nikki walked over, hugged the little girl and Carly, and then the sounds of a fight breaking out in the hallway had them all bolting for the office's glass door to peer out.

"Oh shit.."

"Whoa.."

"Color me shocked.. He's actually doing something good." Brie remarked as she and Nikki happened to look at Carly who was watching the fight intently.

They groaned as they snapped their fingers in front of her face and started to remind her exactly what those men in the hallway were, the things people said about them.

Carly groaned to herself and then said "I need to go down there, now. This is my fight. He's torturing my kid, not theirs."

"Whoa, little mami.. Slow your roll there." Brie said as Nikki pushed her into a chair and Brie held the door shut as she watched and commentated on the fight as it raged on in the hallway.

The sounds of a fight going on in the hallway, naturally, drew not only building security, but HHH and Shawn, a few of the other older guys on the roster. When they heard the men in Shield swearing as they beat the living piss out of someone, they all rolled their eyes.. But then HHH heard Brett's voice and he smirked as he eyed his sledgehammer.

"Not saying I like those jackasses, and I don't even care why they're attacking that little bastard Brett.. But hell, boys.. I'm a little bored tonight, let's go down, help them out."

Shawn nodded, smirking as the men ran down, joined in the little 'welcoming party' that'd formed for Brett, the ex of HHH's oldest daughter.

As the fight got broke up, Stephanie ran down the hallway and peeked into the hair and makeup room, as a mother, her first concern was making sure her stepdaughter, her step granddaughter were both okay and accounted for. She let out a long breath when she saw them both in the room, and tried not to laugh a little as she realized Nikki and Brie were basically having to barricade her tempermental stepdaughter in the room so she didn't go out and do something to get hurt.

"What the hell happened?" Stephanie asked HHH as she caught sight of her husband in the hallway a few moments later. HHH shrugged and said "Not real sure, but the basic facts I know are that when me and Shawn looked down the hallway, the four of 'em were going at it, right here in the hallway. You'd have to ask the guys, Steph, because this time? I didn't get to throw the first punch."

"Okay, what happened?" Stephanie asked, her gaze going from HHH to the three men in black in front of her, currently trying to catch their breath.

"Amira came down to visit, like she's been doin.. We were takin her back and that jerk popped out. Didn't think, Stephanie, I just started hittin." Dean said as he shrugged, smirking a little.

Seth nodded and Roman asked, "This guy gonna be a problem, Hunter?"

"Not when I'm done with him.. As much as I don't really like you three, gonna say thanks for that. He might have grabbed Amira if you guys hadn't been with her."

Seth spoke up and added, "She told us that's what he told her.. That he's gonna take her off, get her away from her mom.. She's scared, it's sort of why she was down in the hideout."

"Damn it."

Stephanie watched the face of Dean Ambrose as all this was being told, noticed he seemed to have derived the most pleasure of the little fight. Almost like it was something personal for the guy.

She put it to the side, she'd have to ask Carly about that later.. Everyone who was backstage had heard the two of them arguing before, she had to wonder..

Was the arguing and the supposed 'dislike' they both vocally admitted to feeling for one another a mask for something else neither of them wanted to admit to?

It made her curious.

Carly walked out and asked, "Well? What happened?"

"We were bringin Amira back up to ya and that jackass popped outta nowhere." Dean and Roman, Seth said in unison as Carly nodded and asked, "Security's still got him, right?"

Before they could answer, security came back by, dragging Brett along almost. Carly smirked as she picked up a heavy glass dish and walked over, slamming the dish into his face as she growled and said "Next time, Brett? I'm gonna make damn sure the odds are in my favor and I finally get to end your life, put you outta my misery. I'm sick of the hold you have on Amira, she's so damn scared at night she can't sleep."

Brett smirked and grabbed for her quickly but she sent her elbow smashing into his nose as she smirked and said "I quit being scared of you a long time ago, Brett. So go ahead, try me. But if you touch my kid again you piece of pathetic shit? Make no mistake.. I will kill you."

Having said what she needed to say, she turned, let security finish throwing him out as her father said calmly, "Caroline.. Sometimes you have way too much of my temper, you know that, right?"

"What? He's starting to piss me off, showing up like that. Push me, I push back." Carly said as she turned to the three men in black and smiling a bit she said quietly, "Thanks.. You have no idea how relieved I was to know you guys had her and she was okay.. If you guys hadn't found her, brought her back, that jerk would have walked out of here with her. I owe you. Seriously."

Roman waved it off but Dean winked at her a little, then licked his lips when she rolled her eyes at him winking. "Not like that, Ambrose.. Not like that.. In your dreams, maybe." before smiling, giving a sly wink when neither of her parents were looking, and turning to walk away.

Dean growled as he muttered to himself, "I fuckin hate how she does that. On purpose." as he watched her walk back into her office, shutting the door firmly.

He turned around, found himself chest to chest with her father who said calmly, stiffly, "Whatever you got in mind for my daughter? It ends now, Ambrose. Or you're not gonna like the outcome."

"Wanna bet?"

" Oh, I'm not betting kid.. I know."

"Right.. Hate to tell you, Hunter, but she's an adult. If it happens, it happens.. Besides, didn't even say I liked her, if my memory serves me right. But no, you do not scare me. Nobody does."

HHH glared and growled, started to get in his face but Stephanie cleared her throat and said "Damn it, come on, Hunter. It's not worth it. It's not like there's anything going on."

"Yeah? Well there's not gonna be, either, Steph. Because I'm gonna stop these three from even thinkin it, now."

"Hunter, come on.." Stephanie said firmly as she gave him the 'look' and stood waiting impatiently, her hand on her hip. She didn't want him getting it in his head that he needed to start taking on the guys on the roster, because she knew how well that'd worked with her own father.


	5. Chapter 5

_CHAPTER FOUR: WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?  
_

"Oh no. Hell no, just not even." Carly growled as she watched Mark Henry and the Usos attacking the 3 males that made up the stable Shield. For some reason, she was really biting her nails during all this, it was really worrying her because Dean just wouldn't be smart, neither would Roman for that matter, and neither man was backing down. They'd already thrown Seth out of the ring, how much more obvious did it get that Mark and Jimmy and Jey were sick of their shit really?

She paced and raked her hand through her hair, as the door opened and Brie, Nikki walked in, sat down, arms full of interior decoration magazines, they'd been planning out a massive overhaul of the guest house to make it more livable, as it hadn't been inhabited since Carly's step uncle Shane was in college, and it looked every bit the oppressive and unsafe 'mancave' one would expect from a single man.

"Hello.. Earth to Caroline. Come in, Caroline." Nikki said as Brie snapped her fingers and then saw what she was watching, getting so worked up over. "Hey.. Carly? Remember? They bought it on themselves, stupidly attacking almost every man on the roster."

"Well he doesn't have to throw all 3 tons of himself around on 'em like that, does he?" Carly fretted as she growled at herself, muttered, "Don't know why the hell I even care really.."

Nikki snickered and Brie gave her twin a dirty look as she sat Carly down and said gently, "Hey.. Level with us here, we're your friends.. Do you feel something for those jerks out there getting their asses handed to them for once?"

"Well, I don't know, actually.. It just pisses me off that Mark Henry's doing that. He just looks like he's aiming to hurt right now, not the things they all rehearsed."

"Just gonna remind you, Carly, those guys are not good guys.. If you want to date again, I can get John to see if Randy wants to double?" Nikki asked thoughtfully as she looked at her friend in concern. Brie added, "Or I can get Daniel to talk to Sheamus."

"Guys, that's sweet and I'm grateful for you two putting up with my ass, but I'm just not ready. Besides, the only thing I feel for that man is seething and blinding anger. Roman's my friend and so is Seth.. That's got to be why I'm getting all bent out of shape about the match."

"You sure about that?"

"Positive, now let's look through the magazines.. What did you guys come up with?"

"Well, we were thinking we could do something and make the place look like one of those little cottages like you see in the snow globes?"

"Ooh, I like that." Carly said as she sat down in her chair, the three of them going over the interior decoration magazines, music playing in the background. She raked her hands through her hair as she held Amira and Amira's cat in her lap and let Amira pick out the colors and things she wanted in her room.

Once they'd marked all the pages in the books and made plans to go shopping for all of the necessities later, Brie and Nikki reminded her one more time about how dangerous the men in Shield were, and walked out, down the hallway.

Amira spoke up quietly and said "Mommy?"

"Yeah?"

"I love aunty Nik and aunty Bee, but they wrong about Mr. Ambrose and Mr. Reigns and Mr. Rollins. They nice, they just hides it. They does nice stuff but they don't brags about it." as she looked up at her mom, biting her little lip and studied her intently, adding, "And I thinks you likes one of them."

"Do not, Ami." Carly said as she hugged her daughter and said "Let's go get you some food."

Walking down the hallway, Carly carried Amira and turning a corner, she collided with Dean, Seth and Roman, groaned as she saw the damage done during the match. Amira bit her lip and said "I wanted to run down and let my kitty attack Mark but mommy tell me that not a good idea." as she reached for Dean who took her and chuckled a little, wincing when he felt the sound in his midsection.

"You alright?" she asked them as the three men grumbled and then asked, "What about you? The ex called again?"

"Not lately, no. Kind of thinking the ass kicking you three gave him, and the broken nose I gave him might have been a deterrent, at least for a little while."  
"Yeah, about that.. You really don't need to egg that jerk on, Caroline." Roman said as Seth nodded in agreement and Dean spoke up, "Not a good idea. Guy looked completely fuckin off, and that's comin from me."

Carly laughed a little and with a wink said "Thanks boys, but trust me.. I've been handling myself since I was probably in diapers. Not gonna stop now." then added, "But thanks for the concern."

"Not a problem, Caroline. We're all friends." Seth said as Carly smiled, nodded at them, biting her lower lip. "I'm gonna go grab some soda and two burgers.. And some ice for you three.. Go sit in the makeup room, I'll be right back."

"You don't have to do that." Seth and Roman insisted as Dean kept quiet, raising his brow at her, warily, used to her bitchy side, not this one.

"What are friends for, guys?" she asked as she shrugged casually and then said with a smile, "Okay, Ami, we gotta go now. Give 'em a hug."

"You go waits.. My mommy be back with ice." Amira made them promise as they walked down the hallway and into catering, where Nikki and Brie jogged over, trying to catch up with her, both giggling as they said in unison, "So, if you wanna try this dating thing again.. We might have a few guys who are interested.."

Carly groaned then laughed a little, shook her head and said quietly, "Nah, thanks though.. I promise you both, I'm fine. I just wanna get my life back on the right track."

The Bella twins nodded and then said "Well, if you change your mind, let us know, we'll talk to some of the guys." as they winked at her before walking off.

She grabbed the drinks, the burgers and the ziploc bags, stuffing ice into them and when she turned around, she groaned as she saw Ryback standing there, watching her, a weird look on his face.

"What?"

" Hungry?" he asked in amusement as Carly raised a brow.

"Umm, maybe?"

He moved out of the way and Carly muttered, "That man is legitimately weird. And people give Bray shit for being weird.." to herself as she and Amira made their way back down the hall and into the makeup room. She sat Amira down with her burger and some french fries, her juice as she handed out ice packs and then tossed the three men a burger, before digging into her own.

"What no salad?" Dean asked, smirking as she glared at him and said through a messy mouth full, "I don't eat rabbit food."

"You've got a little chili on your chin." Seth said through a laugh as Roman handed her one of the napkins and then started to laugh at the way Amira ate her own burger from where she sat between the two men, Roman and Dean.. he asked the little girl, "Ami? Is there any reason you take it apart piece by piece and eat it?"

Amira shrugged then said through a mouth full, "It better that way.. You try it, sir?"

"That's okay, I'll take your word for it." Roman chuckled as Dean smirked, took a bite and then promptly began to take his own burger apart, a smirk on his face as he did so, especially when Carly groaned and said "Yeah, thanks, Ambrose.. Encourage it when I'm tryin to teach her that she doesn't need to play with her food first, just eat it."

Dean shrugged and nudging Amira he winked and said "It is pretty good."

"I tells you so!"

Next, Seth started disassembling his burger, because he found a tomato lurking beneath the bun, he didn't really like the tomatoes that catering used.

Carly groaned and ate her food, watching the three so called badasses of the show with her daughter, smirking to herself.

Deep down, she wondered if they were as bad as her friends warned her..


	6. Chapter 6

_CHAPTER FIVE: DOWNTIME WITH THE BELLAS AND MY BABY GIRL_

"Not bad. It's gonna look so much better when we're done fixing it up, though." Brie and Nikki assessed as the group of females dropped their bags in the doorway, Carly smirking as she saw the wall that her ex, Brett got really personal with the last time she'd been here, in this house.

"Yay! Poppa got the hole fixed." Amira giggled as she tugged on the Bella twins hands and smiling said "I show you my room and my playhouse." as Brie and Nikki laughed and Carly nodded, smiling, the adults following Amira down the hallway to her room.

"This is so cute! I can't wait to see what the new stuff looks like in here, Ami. And you have more dolls than Nikki did when we were your age." Brie laughed as she and Nikki looked around the brightly colored room. Carly nodded and said "Before my dad, she didn't have nearly this many.. He's kind of taken to spoiling her, I suppose. Wait until you see the playhouse." as she smiled a little, raked her hand through her hair.

They'd all been out in the backyard for about ten minutes, Amira playing with her kitten in her playhouse and Brie, Nikki and Carly sitting in lounge chairs on the stone patio talking about how good it was to have time off, how they'd have to take a 'vacation' next time, when the subject came up of Carly's ex.

Carly sighed and she looked at her daughter playing in the playhouse as she said calmly, "Brett can try whatever he wants but he's not her real father so he cannot take her from me. And I have enough stuff on him to probably get him thrown under a jail, should he try his luck."

"Yeah, we know that, Carly.. What we're asking is how bad did he treat you? We know you protected Amira from all of it, but she was talking earlier to us when you were loading your stuff at the hotel and well, she knows you're hurt and you're afraid. And she's scared too, that's why she keeps having nightmares."

"I know, guys, it's just.. I try so hard to hide all that shit from her and it still doesn't help. I'm a worse mom than my own."

"You're not. She's just really perceptive for her age, Carly. She picks up on your moods and when you're scared, it scares her too."

"Have you ever thought of just talking to someone about it? When Bryan was going to that anger thing, even though it was just for his bit on the show, he said it really did help him with some other things he didn't even realize he felt." Brie muttered as Carly shook her head, laughed bitterly and said "Yeah, no thanks.. Trust me, what happened to me is in the past and it's gonna stay there.. Besides, if I wanna talk, I have you two, my parents and Amira."

"But there's some things you can't tell her."

"I know."

"We're just worried about you, especially after last night, you both had that nightmare because you just thought you saw someone down in the parking lot of the hotel that sort of looked like Brett in a car that sort of looked like his."

Carly sighed and bit her lip as she said quietly, "I hate this. Parts of me want to murder the man and parts of me are so damn scared of him until I want to just run somewhere he never finds me again.. I told my dad and Steph about it and they said the same things as you guys are telling me now.. But I also, I just.. I don't feel comfortable talking to some stranger about the fucked up way my mom raised me, having them sit there and judge me or even worse, pity me."

"How bad was it?" Nikki asked in curiousity as Carly muttered, "So bad that I ran away when I was probably 15, didn't go back home until I was 17 or almost 18 and I only did it then because my mom did what she does best and guilted me into going back and 'taking care' of her.. I didn't know my dad back then.. I mean I stayed here a few nights because he was one of my mom's old boyfriends and everything, but.."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Now you see why I'm glad the truth finally came out, why it makes me angry to think about everything my own mom put me through, and then to top it off, she won't tell me who my father is over half my life, when she does, I'm an adult with my own damn kid and I'm going straight down the same path as her, almost."

"No, hell no you're not." Brie said gently as Nikki nodded in agreement and added, "From what little you told us about your mom and the way she was, you're nothing like her."

"So.. We also have an alterior motive, actually.. I know you're probably busy doing hair and makeup, costumes for Raw and Smackdown... But we love talking to you and hanging out, and call us selfish, " Brie started as Nikki finished " But we were hoping you'd do the hair and makeup and stuff for Total Divas."

Carly thought about it a moment, it wasn't that much more work and frankly, she really did need the money, the custody case with Brett, well... It was draining her limited funds.

Sure, she could ask her dad for the money, but she was too stubborn and she'd spent the majority of her life standing on her own two feet, so even if he offered, she just wouldn't feel comfortable accepting.

"Well? Please?" they begged as Carly nodded and smiling said "Yeah, I'd love that. Hell, I wanna open my own salon, I kind of need all the practice I can get, really." she pointed out as she leaned back in her chair and stared at the table a few moments before saying quietly, "So, with that out of the way, now I have to ask you guys something.. If Brett pulls what I think he will, with the hearing... Will you two come and testify if you have to? You're the only two other people who know the complete truth about Amira's father, how it's not Brett, and everything Brett put us both through."

"Oh hell yes. You didn't even have to ask, girl." Nikki said as Brie nodded and then asked, "You don't think he's gonna try and use your rape against you to get custody.. Do you?"

"Knowing him? Probably. I just hope to hell that doesn't happen, because then it means I'm gonna have to have a discussion with my daughter that I wasn't planning on having unless she was older and I had to." Carly muttered quietly as she sighed and lightly hit her head against the tabletop then muttered, "If it weren't for you guys, Amira and my dad, my stepmom and my half sisters, I think I'd have given up on life by now. Just feels like everytime I kick down one wall, another one's standing there waiting."

"It's hard, but don't give up.. It's like Stephanie was telling you earlier when we were all eating.. You're out of that hell, Carly, that's more than some women can say. You can make it, you're a survivor."

"Thanks, guys." she muttered as they turned on the tv and let Amira settle in their laps, starting a movie to pass the time.

She raised her brow when she looked at her phone, realized she'd gotten a text from both Dean and Roman.. When she didn't even know how they'd gotten her number because she'd certainly not been giving it out, especially considering what she had going on with her ex, Brett and the custody case.

"Brett didn't text, did he?" her friends asked in concern as she jumped a little and then shook her head then slid the phone into her pocket as she said quietly, "No, but Dean and Roman both did."

The twins looked at one another, and then at her, then they groaned in unison. "Especially Dean when we say this, Carly.. Those guys are not good guys.. Especially Dean Ambrose."

" They haven't been bad to me." Carly said as she sighed and then said firmly, "Besides, I told you.. I'm just not looking. I probably won't ever look again to be honest."

"Don't say that."

"What? It's true. Bad men always wind up finding me, and I have a daughter to think about, so why should I bother?" Carly muttered as Nikki asked, "What'd they want anyway?"

"Well, Dean left a voicemail, the gist of it is that he was making sure that quote 'jackass' end quote, hadn't shown up.. He also wanted me to tell Amira hi. Roman's text was pretty much the same.. But how the hell did they get my number anyway?"

"Don't look at us." Brie and Nikki said as they too wondered how the two males in the Shield had Carly's number. They hadn't given it out to anyone and neither had she..

Carly left the room to put Amira into bed and then Brie asked Nikki, "So.. Do you think they might have gotten it from our little buddy Ami? She loves Ambrose and she's actually pretty fond of Roman too.."

Nikki giggled and said "I have a feeling Amira's trying to play matchmaker with mommy.. We should help her.. Both of them deserve a decent life."

"They really do."

"But Ambrose and Reigns?" Nikki pondered as Brie sighed and said firmly, "Whoever makes them both happy, Nikki.. We're her friends, she's gonna need support. And help because face it.. Our girl? Not quite so fearless about men and dating."

"Are we SURE it has to be one of them though?"

"They're the only two guys she's had any sort of spark with.." Brie pointed out thoughtfully as Nikki sighed and then said "If she's happy, that's all that really matters, remember? Anything is better than this, and she needs someone with her, because of that shit with Brett."

"Good point. Okay, so I'm in. But if either of them hurt her.."

"We'll get 'em."


	7. Chapter 7

_CHAPTER SIX: REVENGE REALLY IS SWEET  
_

As soon as the judge banged his gavel, Nikki and Brie squeezed Carly one last time before going to their seat. The hearing to determine whether Brett legally had any cause to sue for custody was on it's last day, and so far, it seemed that Brett just might win, several things came out that Carly was just thankful that Amira hadn't been present to hear about. She'd had to have her past dragged out, exploited and judged like some bad court documentary.

She sat now biting her lip as she took a deep breath and studied her nails intently, just hoping this didn't end the way she feared it would, really..

Until the door to the courtroom opened and a man in a suit that Carly had seen around her stepmother's father's offices a few times walked in carrying a manila envelope, and started to talk quietly with the judge. A few moments later, the judge took the microphone and hitting his gavel against the desk again said calmly, "This court will recess in light of new evidence. We will reconvene at exactly 2 pm."

"Wait, what?" she muttered as she wondered what new evidence had been allowed to make the court go to recess for almost an hour. It had to be something that could help her, whatever it was. As the others filed out of the court room, she was snapped out of her thoughts by Brie and Nikki walking over, sitting down on either side of her as they said calmly, "Take a deep breath.. It's almost over, Carly."

"You're gonna take her home tonight and this is all gonna be like a bad dream."

"God I hope so, but Brett bringing up all the stuff I had to do when I ran away from home to escape the stuff my mom was letting happen to me.. It's not looking good, girls. If he wins this, I'm gonna kick his ass." Carly muttered as John and Daniel spoke up from behind their girlfriends, pointed out that an hour was enough time to go grab some food really quickly and get Carly out of the courthouse she'd spent the majority of her day in.

On their way out, Carly heard a familiar voice behind her and she bit her lower lip as she turned around, faced Dean Ambrose with a scowl on her face.

"What?"

Dean studied her intently for a moment, the things he'd read by sneaking a glance into the folder the man in the suit carried in moments ago burned in his mind. He'd severely underestimated her, he knew that now. He just wasn't sure why he couldn't admit it, apologize for being an ass and go away already because getting close to people just wasn't his style.. And she had a kid, so there was even more potential for disaster there, if he really thought about it.

"Just wanted to make sure Ami wasn't gonna have to go back with that asshole." he muttered as he started to walk off, still very confused as to why he'd let Roman drag him along today, with Seth.. He knew why Seth was there, he knew why Roman was there, just wasn't too damn sure why he was there, other than Amira.. And Amira wasn't even here, at the moment, when the trial/custody case started to get a little messy, Carly had opted to let Shane keep Amira so she wouldn't have to hear some of the stuff that mommy had to do to survive in her past.

"That's all?"

"Pretty much... Princess." Dean smirked as he said the last word.. Really, when he said it now, it wasn't so much as him passing judgement as it was him giving her a nickname.

Roman elbowed him, gave him a warning glare as he walked over, hugged Carly and said in a comforting tone, "No matter what happens, Car.. She's gonna come back with you."

"And you're psychic now, big guy?" Carly joked as Roman shrugged and smirking said "We'd really hate to triple powerbomb the judge."

She laughed a little, but not much or for long and the three men made their way out so Dean could smoke before he took someone's head off.

As the three men walked away, Brie, Nikki, John and Daniel lead Carly out of the courthouse, and down to Nikki's SUV, so they could go grab some food.

Meanwhile, in the judges chamber, Brett paced in anger as the judge told him that due to his blatant misuse of the courts and the term justice, the case for custody was being dropped, and anything he'd personally had admitted into evidence was being stricken.

"But what the hell, why?"

"Because sir, it's been bought to our immediate attention that not only are you NOT the child's father, you were never married to Caroline, unlike your prior claims. And you've stalked her, despite having a restraining order against you, sir. And then there's the matter of the police reports that your former girlfriend's fellow co workers bought to our attention, sir. You were arrested at a live event?"

Brett growled and as he stepped out of the chamber, he punched a wall, and growled. Okay, so the 'legal' way hadn't worked.. Surely he could get her back where she belonged, and that little kid away from her, somehow, right?

He turned a corner, walked straight into the small group of men who'd beaten him before he got arrested backstage a few weeks ago. "You four, again?"

"Damn right." Roman said with a smirk as Dean stepped up and then said "Anything you got with Caroline and Ami ends here. Or you die. I haven't shot anyone in a real long time.. Kinda wanna know how it feels again before I forget, go soft or something."

"And now you're threatening to shoot me, really?"

"Really." Dean smirked as Roman held him and smirking said "See, not only are those two our friends.. But we kinda like Caroline. And you? You're not gonna get in our way. So, man, the way I see it? Anything it takes."

Before another word could be said, Brett's lawyer escorted him out, angrily. Brett, of course, hadn't thought to tell his lawyer that he wasn't Amira's father, nor had he told the man anything that'd just come to light in the chambers moments before.

Carly stood in line at some restaurant that Brie and Nikki, John and Daniel dragged her and Amira out to, waiting on her step uncle Shane to bring Amira to the restaurant when her phone rang and she took the call, stepping out of the restaurant.

She gaped at the phone and then quietly said "Yes, yes, sir.. Thank you so much, sir." as she laughed and ran back inside, cheering.

"Well?"

Shane smirked as he highfived his niece and then said "Yeah, couple of the guys apparently talked to dad this morning, and Dad got the arena to turn over all their security footage from that night.. And we won't even get into what that private investigator he hired found out." as he handed his stepniece's daughter to her, hugged her.

Amira clapped and cheered, then smiled to herself a little.. She knew telling Dean and Seth, Roman about what Brett kept threatening had been the right thing to do. Now she didn't have to worry anymore and maybe now that she didn't have to worry about him getting her, she could focus on the more important things, like finding her mommy someone who made her smile instead of cry.

Brie and Nikki high fived Carly then hugging both of them said "Well.. I suppose we're all going to put together a little princesses bedroom when we're done eating?"

"Yay!"


	8. Chapter 8

_CHAPTER SEVEN: GIRLS WEEKEND OUT, PT 1  
_

"Are you guys sure you wanna take Amira for the weekend?" Carly asked one more time as Stephanie and her father, HHH looked at her then said calmly, "Yes, Carly. We haven't had her for a whole weekend in almost 2 months now. You're being stingy with her, ya know?"

"Well, in my defense, until two days ago, I thought that she was gonna get taken from me, I was afraid Brett was going to rig the system somehow, tip the odds in his favor. I don't know though.. I just.. I'm used to her being with me all the time.."

"Would you just let us take our grandkid?" HHH asked as he laughed a little then hugging his daughter reminded her, "You can't be a good mother if you don't every now and then take time for yourself. Even Stephanie has days where she ships the girls to Linda or Shane. It's not going to make you a bad parent to let her come home with us for a weekend."

Carly thought it over, biting her lower lip.. What would she even do with a weekend to herself, completely and totally to herself. Amira was 5, the last time she'd actually had a weekend to herself, Amira hadn't even been born yet, but Carly had been pregnant with Amira. And letting Amira spend the night at her father and stepmother's house right across the yard, occasionally, well.. That really didn't count, if one thought about it.

"Dad.." she whined as he gave her a firm look then said casually, "You need this. You need to take some time out, step away from the stress you've been under this week. Besides, I already told her I was gonna take her to that new amusement park.."

"Dad... Ughh, seriously? When did you do this?"

"When we were coming into town and she saw the lights and the rollercoaster. Have you never taken her to one before?"

"Actually, nope.. I'm afraid of heights, you see and.. Yeah.. Basically, I'm just too damn scared that if I put my baby on one of those rides, it's gonna collapse or something."

"Kid? Sometimes you worry too much. You have to let her do stuff.."

"Okay, alright, fine, you convinced me." Carly said as HHH added, "Just a thought, doesn't hurt adults to be kids on occasion too."

"You mean like your saturday morning toon a thons or chocolate chip pancakes?"

"Exactly.. And I'm guessing you've never been to anything like an amusement park or a carnival before?"

"No.."

"There's a fair in this town. Just a suggestion since you looked a little at a loss for something to do to fill the time while we have Ami here."

"Your father's right, Carly."

"Okay, fine, okay.. I get it, you guys."

"So can we take her now?"

"Yeah, just let me grab some things she's gonna need. And no ungodly amounts of sugar, okay?"

"Princess, trust me.. I know.. we do have your younger half sisters, remember?"

"I know dad, it's just."

HHH hugged his daughter and chuckling said with a teasing tone, "You.. Need to get out there and loosen up."

As they drove away, she shut the door to her hotel room behind her, her hands in her hair.. Amira had only been gone 2 minutes, she already felt like she was missing everything. She sighed and sank down in a chair, laughing a little at her father's teasing advice before he'd left.

She looked at her cell phone.. It was only 2 pm. Still almost a whole afternoon to go. They were on a beach front hotel, there was a waterpark two blocks away...

And she hadn't ever ridden an honest to god waterslide...

Biting her lip, she paced a moment, trying to figure out something to do that would entertain her, until of course her door burst open and in came not only Brie and Nikki but Eve, who was visiting, and Lita, who was also visiting, here with CM Punk, Natalya and Kaitlyn even.

"Where's my little long lost Bella?"

"You guys just missed her.. My parents have her for the weekend." Carly said nervously as the girls all looked at one another, then at Carly.

"Whoa.. What's with the looks?"

"We know exactly what we need to do tonight."

"Definitely."

"This is gonna be so much fun!" the Bella twins exclaimed as Carly eyed the group of women warily and waved her hands in protest, before Layla cut her off and said calmly, "This is for your own good, Caroline."

"Every woman, mother or not, well, eventually, they have to let their hair down." Eve said as she descended on Carly's closet space, looking through the clothes, tossing some onto the bed, wrinkling her nose as she looked at her and held out an ancient plaid shirt and said "Really? You keep this stuff?"

"Hey.. It belonged to .. Why the hell did I keep that?"

"So, here's the plan.. We're gonna go to the beach and the waterpark first, then go for some food on the boardwalk, then to that boardwalk fair, and then tonight.. Girls night."

"Whoa, wait, hold on.. Pace ourselves maybe?"

"Girls, hold on, she has been out of it for a while, remember?"

"She can handle it, I just have this feeling." Eve insisted as Lita nodded and said "Me too.. She's HHH's daughter, she has to have even a tiny bit of a wild streak in there somewhere.. We just have to bring it .."

"Whoaaa.. "

"What?"

"Is that ink, Ms. Straight laced?" Eve asked as she eyed a tattoo just above Carly's hip. Carly shrugged then tugged her shirt down quickly.

"I'm not that uptight, guys."

"Says the girl who had no clue she was even having game spat at her the other night by a few of the guys.." Kaitlyn pointed out as they pushed her down onto the edge of the bed and Lita said "Just wait right here.. We're gonna figure out what you're gonna wear."

"Okay then."

A few minutes later, Eve walked over, shoving some daisy dukes, a tank top, some flip flops and a swimsuit that Carly had forgot that she even owned, and looking at it's raciness, she knew exactly why, into her hands and pointed to the bathroom.

"Okay?"

"Hurry. If we're later than 2:30 these little pricks in a local frat house take the best parking at the beach and boardwalk." Lita called as the girls looked at one another, then the closed bathroom door, stifling gentle laughs. "Maybe this weekend will do her some good. She burns it at both ends, and she's always busy doing makeup or making costumes, or doing stuff with Amira. I honestly do not think I even remember seeing her do anything for her." Brie and Nikki mused as Lita added, "And she needs to get back on that horse and ride.."

"Whoa.. Easy there, Tuff Hedman." Kaitlyn said with a slight grin as she said "I can think of a few guys though.. So, who's all going to the beach anyway?"

"Well, apparently since I got Carly to agree to come with, John and Daniel have gotten Randy and Sheamus to come, and then there's Ziggler, but he's going to meet girls in that one sorority.."

"We need to think.. Which of our single guy friends would be better for her than one of those Shield assholes?" the twins muttered as Lita spoke up and said "Whoa.. We're not marrying her off guys.. Let's just let things happen, shall we?"

"We can 'help' a little, though, right?" Natalya asked as she looked around the room to her friends who all nodded and Eve spoke up saying, "Given what I saw when a few of the guys were trying to hit on her backstage? We're gonna have to.. Our girl, guys, is completely and totally unaware of when she's being hit on.. It's like all of her primal and baser instincts have been stripped or something.."

Carly stepped out and immediately grabbed for the woven throw on her bed to cover herself. "Seriously, guys? My tits are about to overflow.. And my tramp stamp is visible.."

"Guys like ink."

"I'm not looking for a guy, Lita, though.."

"Just humor us, okay?" Lita begged as the rest of the girls looked at her with pleading eyes. "O-okay, fine.."

About an hour later, they pulled into a parking space at the beach and she got out of the rental car she'd driven, walked down the sandy shoreline behind her friends, completely and totally aware of just how much she wasn't covering up.

She felt like she looked pretty damn good, but she also felt a little weird.. She was used to being here with Ami, wearing that oversized plaid shirt and cutoffs, a pair of Uggs. Not a swimsuit top, daisy dukes, no cover shirt and flip flops.

Down the beach, Roman had just popped the tab on a beer, and it promptly spewed on him while Dean proceeded to choke on a Jack Daniel's wine cooler.

"Is that?"

"No.. She doesn't have Ami, she's not wearing that ancient oversized shirt and those damn boots, man. It cannot be her." Dean stated matter of factly as the two of them stared up the beach, gaping.. A few moments later, she and Layla jogged by and Dean choked again as Roman stared and muttered something to himself.

Seth turned to the two men and asked, "Well? Are you two going to sit there, staring like asses all day, or..."

"Do not even think it, Reigns."

"Ambrose, if you even try, you're gonna be breathing through a machine."

"Go ahead.. Make my day."

"Oh I will.. "

While the two of them were arguing amongst one another, another small group of males noticed Carly as she stood in line at a beverage stand on the boardwalk.

"Tat is not 'er, fella."

"I'm telling you, man, twenty bucks says it is.. And damn.. "

"Et is 'er, yah damn arse. And ah'm about ta go talk to 'er." Drew stated as Sheamus held him back, laughed and said "Aye, fella.. Why not let a real man handle tis?"

"When ah see one? ah bloody will." Drew snorted as Randy rolled his eyes and calmly walked up to the line, tapped her shoulder.

Down the beach, Dean and Roman stopped arguing long enough to realize that they weren't the only ones who'd noticed their makeup artist's diva given makeover.

"Those sons of bitches."

"Yeah, how about no you three fucking jackasses." Roman muttered as he and Dean looked at one another, growling a little bit.

Carly spun around and Randy smirked a little as he asked, "Where's the little Viper today?"

"She went with my dad and stepmom.. I miss her like hell."

"Yeah, it does feel weird without her coming over to play volleyball with us. She's good.. Damn ruthless too."

"Yeah, I think she gets the whole competitve streak from my dad." Carly said as she smiled then asked, "So, what are you guys up to?"

"Getting drinks right now.. Probably going for a swim in a few though."

"Same here. It's so damn hot out here."

From behind them, Dean spoke up as he said "It is.. Fucking burning up."

Carly bit her lower lip as she realized this situation felt a little, well.. Strange.. Just as it had the other day when the four of them (Sheamus had been with Randy, Dean had been with Roman) had all sort of sought her out to talk to her before and during the show, backstage.

Were they hitting on her?

Nah.. Why hit on her when Eve was visiting and she was single, or there were girls like Layla and Natalya around? She was just the makeup girl.. And truth be told, she really wasn't used to all the attention.

"Did you even attempt to put on sunscreen?"

"You only live once."

"Yeah.. I'll remind you that when you're banging on doors and borrowing aloe vera again tonight." Carly smirked as Dean and Roman laughed a little, then said casually, "So... Where's Ami?"

"She's with my dad and my stepmom, actually for the weekend. It feels so weird."

"I can imagine. I bet you're going nuts." Roman chuckled as Dean nodded and said with a smirk, "Damn it, guess that means I can't borrow her, hop her up on sugar and return her today." pretending to pout a few moments, ignoring the eye rolls that Randy and Sheamus were giving the two of them.

Carly's turn in line came, and she grabbed the drink she'd ordered and walked down the beach back to her towel, flopping down. She bit her lower lip as she shut her eyes, tried to ignore the way she felt so damn weird without her kid nearby.

If this was relaxing, she couldn't see how, she was going out of her mind, she just didn't know how to let loose anymore..

Or did she?

A few moments later, she was woken by a few pokes to the shoulder and Eve snickered as she said "You've been out like a light for almost an hour, babes.. You might wanna flip over,or your tan is going to be a nightmare."

Carly flipped over then asked, "So.. What are we gonna do next?"

"Oh.. We're getting you on that." Lita pointed to what had to be the tallest waterslide in the entire park.

"I, err..."

"Scared?"

"A littleish?"

"Suck it up.. This is girls weekend, girl."

"My phone didn't ring or anything, did it?"

The girls shook their heads no and then chided her, reminding her that Amira was fine, she was with family..

Carly sighed as she stared at the tall waterslide in determination. Apparently, this weekend was the weekend to try new things.. Might as well go with it, she reasoned..

So far, it hadn't been all that bad.. She still missed her baby girl like crazy though.


	9. Chapter 9

_CHAPTER SEVEN: GIRLS WEEKEND OUT, PT 2  
_

"Are we really sure this is a good idea, though? I mean that thing's like 8 fucking stories off the ground. And all those stairs..." Carly muttered from her place in line with Lita, Eve, Natalya, Kaitlyn, the Bellas and Layla El, a few of the other Divas that'd come along to the waterpark and were going to tag along to 'Girls Night' as they were calling it now.

"You're not serious."

"You're scared of heights?" Eve asked, trying not to laugh a little, she'd just never thought that Carly would really be afraid of anything, because the girl was so bold and outgoing, maybe a little quirky. It'd never occured to her that Carly might actually have a fear of something as trivial as heights.

"Yes hell I am."

"And spiders." the Bellas chimed in, trying not to fall over in laughter as they recounted the time last week when one little, tiny spider sent Carly running down the hall of her house in a towel only, because it happened to fall into the shower with her, from a window nearby.

"Wow.. So have you done anything since you had Ami?" Kaitlyn asked bluntly, as Layla gave her friend a look and said "Kait, don't be rude.. Of course she has, right?" as she fixed warm brown eyes on their hair and makeup girl, also their friend..

"Umm, maybe?" Carly said in a questioning tone as she popped a bubble with her gum and studied them all for a moment.. Okay, so she hadn't exactly been doing anything for herself for the past few years.. But that didn't matter, did it?

After all, first and foremost, she was a mother, before anything else. She had a little girl to think of, a little girl who was at a very impressionable age, currently, so it was probably for the best that she was NOT present for today and tonight, to see mommy 'being an adult'.

"Wow.. It's worse than we thought." Lita muttered as Eve elbowed her and said "Hey.. It's not a bad thing, she's enjoying being a mother.. Just because she's not like us, Amy.."

"I know this, Eve, but still.. Not even a sip of red wine when little bit's asleep for the night?" Lita asked the other female with a raised brow. She personally found it hard to believe, but hey, she'd grown up in a weird house anyway, so there you go.

"Maybe a few tequila shots." Carly offered, her shoulders slumped. This letting her hair down thing was turning into this huge undertaking, she'd really rather be at home right now, or with Amira.. At least she knew for damn sure what she was going to be doing there.

"There ya go, that's it. Now it's coming out.. So, what else.. Any dates?" Lita asked casually as she bit her lip.. Too bad this girl hadn't been around when she'd gotten done with Matt Hardy, he'd have really, really gotten a kick out of her, she seemed just his type, actually.

Or she would have been then.

"Okay girls, we're set to go next. Hold on to your thongs." Kaitlyn announced loudly, drawing a few raised brows from some nearby teenage boys, promptly earning said teenage boys slaps from their teenage girlfriends.

"So we've got to go down this with someone, right?"

"Yeah, basically." Kaitlyn said as she smirked when Seth found her in line, his hand going over her eyes. "Miss me, babe? See, Told ya I'd be back around here in time for you guys to go down the slide.."

Before she could even think, she felt a popsicle being slipped into her hands, and she heard Randy Orton speak up from behind her casually, "Ya looked hungry."

"Thanks. I was, actually."

"The hell do you think you're doing, Orton?" Dean asked loudly as he walked over, leaned on Carly, a Budweiser in his hand as he winked and said "Tall son of a bitch, right?"

"Yeah, basically."

"You're brave, going down it alone." Dean suggested casually, leading the conversation in the exact direction he wanted it to go in.

Randy laughed and said "Really, Ambrose? You think she's gonna go down that alone? Do you even see me standing next to her, bud? Or are you that wasted already?"

"Wellll... I am seeing three of ya.. Oh wait, ya head's always that fuckin big."

Carly ducked from between them and looked around. Yep, as she thought, all of her friends were paired off already, so either she sucked it up and went alone, or...

She groaned internally.

Biting her lip, she calmly walked over to Drew McIntyre, a friend of hers and said "Since Roman, Randy and Sheamus and Dean are at it again, you're coming with me. You and Heath." in a determined tone.

Drew looked over his shades at the 8 story tall waterslide, then looked at Heath who was trying not to double over in laughter as he said "Better idea.. Ya could just choose one of 'em hon."

"Oh no.. I have told everyone, I am not looking. I've already had two strikes in love, really not gearing up to see what the third disaster might wind up being, because strike 2 is still biting my ass, Slater.. Now get your ass up here, in line, with me.. Both of you."

Brie and Nikki high fived one another as they whispered to Layla, Eve, Lita and Kaitlyn, Natalya, "Just like riding a bike.. Apparently our girls instincts are back on, girls. We did it. With her going down the slide with two other guys.."

"Damn girl, that's smart." Kaitlyn mused as she chuckled, watched the three of them getting back into line with the group, Heath remarking loudly, "Gonna show y'all how to do a damn cannonball, baby."

Drew grumbled as he raked his hand through his long dark hair.. The upside to this was that he was finally getting time to subtly flirt with the girl he'd become close friends with..

The downside?

Why, the Scottish male could not swim, of course.

But hey, he'd worry about that when he hit the bottom. Maybe he and Heath could manage something.

"You look as freaked out as I do right now, Drew."

"Because, lass, ah can't bloody swim, alroight?"

Carly bit her lip, tried not to laugh as she smiled at him and said casually, "We'll try and land in the shallower part, okay, buddy?"

The Scottish male nodded grimly as Carly eyed the water slide and said quietly, "I suppose this isn't exactly the time to tell you two I'm scared shitless of heights?"

They gaped at her, then both burst into laughter.

"Whoa, lil mama.. You're tellin us you ain't fond of heights.. Yet you're gonna get on an 8 story waterslide with at least a 90 plus foot drop.." Heath said as he cackled, raking his hand through his hair.

"Blame them." Carly retorted with a smirk as she laughed and shrugging said "Hey, I gotta get over it sometime, right?"

"Whoo, boy.. Are you ever about to get over it, hon." Heath remarked as he and Drew looked at the four males who'd been the reason she'd sort of come, sought them out to ride the water slide with her.

The two members of 3MB smirked as they mouthed, "Whoops? Shouldn't have wasted so much time markin your territory maybe?" and chuckled.

Jinder made his way over, having spotted his friends, and was quickly roped into riding the waterslide with Carly and his two 'band members'.

"If either of you jerkoffs pants me this time, I swear to .." he mumbled as Carly giggled and then said "Hey.. Whatever happens happens, Mahal."

"Yeah.. When that thing sucks off those strategically placed triangles, I'm gonna remember that."

Carly blushed as she folded her arms over her chest, suddenly aware for the first time since putting the outfit picked for her by the girls on, just how little she was wearing on top.

She tapped Drew.

"Gimme your tank."

"Oh no yah don't, lass." Drew smirked, winking at her, being a little flirty.

"I'm gonna rip it off."

"Nope.. I got 20 on the water rippin your top off before you rip Drew's so called lucky t shirt off of him, hon.." Heath intoned as he tossed a kernel of popcorn into the air casually.

A few feet away, in line, the guys glared a hole through the men in 3MB as they looked at one another, issuing silent challenges with their eyes.

Layla walked over casually and got Roman off to the side.

"You want her, don't you, mate?"

"Yeah, but.."

"Then do something.. Make some kind of move, damn it. I will not have her winding up with that asshole Ambrose, or Orton, Sheamus. You are good with Ami."

Roman smiled a little then said "Let her have her moment, though.. Me and Dean kinda figured out why she went over, dragged Drew and Heath, Jinder onto the slide."

"Yeah, well, next time, you three don't argue so much and she might actually pick one of you."

Meanwhile, Seth and Kaitlyn were working on a stubborn and drunk Dean Ambrose. "You blew it man. You came on too strong and you reek of alcohol and.. What the fuck was that pick up line even?" Seth asked as Kaitlyn said "Look.. I've seen how you look at her, and I've seen how different you are with Amira when noone's watching. Amira really, really likes you, and as one of her godmommies, that's important to me. So don't fuck up again, damn it. Try actually being a gentleman and not a douche.. Seth, show him how it's done, baby. I just.. I can't right now, with him or I will kick him in the balls."

"I love you too, Bonin." Dean joked as Seth popped him on the forehead and said "Look man, focus.. Brie and Nikki, they've been warning her all about how bad you are, how toxic you are.. If you wanna win this? You're gonna have to stop being such a dick."

"But it's how I am. And I'm so good at it." Dean muttered grumpily as he asked, "Okay, say I did want to actually be with her.. I gotta be anything but me?"

"Basically."

"No dice."

"Dean, damn it. The kid, hell, Carly, they bring out a completely different side of you. A nicer, gentler side.. Don't you want that? Forget it, you're obviously going to keep right on keeping everyone at arms length.. Do this for Ami if you wont do it for yourself, man.. Remember what you said when we were all out at the bar last night?"

"Yeah man, yeah. Okay, alright, damn. But I am not gonna change.. She wants a real guy.. Not some asshole pretending to be a good guy."

"Okay, fine.. Do it whatever way you want, idiot, just do something. I'm sick of seeing you get into it with anyone who breathes on her."

And behind them, John and Nikki were talking quietly to Randy. Randy nodded as he listened intently when Nikki said "Forget what she says she wants, what she says when she tells us all she's not looking.. She will be at some point.. And you are a good guy for her, Orton.. You love Ami, you love Carly, anyone can see it.. The thing is, you're up against 3 other guys who like her just as much."

"Relax guys, I got this."

"Umm, no.. Apparently you do not, Randall.. If you did, she'd be going down this slide with you, not Heath, Jinder and Drew."

"Man.. She's doing it to prove a point to you guys." John said as Randy looked at him, taking that fact in, smirking. Oh he got the point alright, loud and clear.. And it wasn't going to stop him from working his charm.. He'd fallen for Carly, and he loved spending time with Amira. It had to end with him on top.

This was now officially even more important to him than cashing in his briefcase he'd won at Money In The Bank.

Daniel and Brie were talking quietly to Sheamus. Sheamus listened to them, watching Carly and the men in 3MB joking around, laughing.

"Could have been you, Laoch." Brie said as she shook her head and Daniel spoke up, "If you want something, you go for it, man.. What the hell was that just now? Because it wasn't going for it. You have to know that arguing over her is only going to scare her off, and that's not what you want, is it?"

"Cannot believe ah'm takin love advice from the loikes of yeh." Sheamus grumbled as he added calmly, "But no, it isn't."

Brie spoke up and said quietly, "You're a good guy, a sweet guy.. You really feel something for her.. And if you don't do something, Laoch, you're never gonna get a chance to show it."

"Ah ahm aware of tis, lass.. Te question es, how.. With the three of 'em around 'er all the time.."

"Catch her alone and start a conversation. Just like you've been doing. Keep doing what you've been doing, man.. Just do not do something stupid and lose your temper like you did with Randy, Roman and Dean a few minutes ago." Daniel stated as Sheamus noted it and nodded, smirking confidently.

While all of this was going on, Lita smirked as she scrolled through her contacts, texted Matt Hardy after snapping a quick photo of Carly.

A few seconds later, Matt texted back, "Damnnnn.. Is she single?"

"Mhmm. And her little girl, bestie, is so amazing and sweet.. I thought of you when I met her, actually. Get your ass to the waterpark." Lita texted back as she looked around her and muttered, "Nothing personal, guys.. Just gonna make this a little interesting.. Besides, with his breakup from Reby, the poor guy needs this. And I owe him one." to herself as she leaned against her boyfriend, Punk, in line.

"You didn't." Punk asked, snickering a little.

"I did." Lita smiled as she read the text he sent back.. Now she just had to figure out how to make the rest of the girls, the guys actually STAY at the waterpark for a few more hours.. Not that hard, everyone was having fun right now, all of the onscreen bullshit and drama was actually on the backburner.

Eve stood quietly, scanning the scene. She groaned as she saw Zack sitting off to the side by himself, sipping a Lime A Rita, looking at the waves. She walked over, sat down. She knew what Lita was up to, she'd seen her texting Matt a few seconds ago, and if Lita was going to bring another player into the game, well then, what the hell..

Eve was going to do something she thought might be good for her former boyfriend Zack.

"What do you want, hoeski?"

"Come on, Zack.. Can't we just put all that behind us?"

"I'd love to, but.."

"What are your thoughts on the new makeup girl?"

"She's sweet, that little girl of hers is adorbs.. But.."

"But what?"

"I know what you're trying to do, Eve.. And I'm not falling for it. Look, I realize that you guys are all convinced that you each know the perfect guy for Carly, but did you ever stop and think that maybe it's her decision? What about what she likes?"

"Yeah.. But can't you at least try?"

"I'd love to, hoeski.. But I'm dating a girl named Tiana."

"You are not."

"Am too."

"Internet dates do not count, Zack, damn it."

Zack chuckled and then said quietly, "Okay, fine, you caught me..I'm kind of still trying to deal with losing you." as he fixed his eyes on her. She took a deep breath and sighing said quietly, "I'm sorry I did what I did.. And lately.."

"Yeah?"

"I'll admit I've missed you.. But we.. If we try this, Zack.. Can we make it work?"

"It doesn't hurt to try."

Eve smiled a little, held out her hand to him and pulled him off the ground, getting into line. As his arms went around her, she smiled to herself. Everything felt right again, everything felt good again. And this time, she was not going to mess it up.

Carly stood in line with the guys in 3MB, sipping a strawberry daiquiri as she eyed the slide intently.

"We're up next. Any last words you two f raidycats?" Heath asked Carly and Drew.. Jinder laughed and shook his head as Drew crossed himself and called out loudly, "Heath.. Go to me mah's house.. Hide all my playboys."

"Will do buddy.. Hey, do me a solid if I don't make it back?" Heath asked as Carly asked, "What?"

"Bury me upside down so the world can kiss my ass baby." Heath shouted as he spread his arms and fell backwards onto the slide.

Jokingly Carly called out, "COVER YOUR EYES.. ME HAS A BAD FEELING.. THIS WILL BE SCARIER THAN JANET JACKSON'S TOP FIASCO AT THE SUPERBOWL." laughing a little. The four of them went down at the same time, and as they hit about the middle of the slide, Carly found herself laughing uncontrollably as she screamed at the top of her lungs, "WE HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN THIS WAS FUCKING AWESOME!"

On the ground, her friends heard her and snickered as they looked at one another.. Okay, so little by little, she was loosening up. This was looking like it might just be an interesting and fun night after all..

But with four guys determined to win her heart, and a new guy interested in getting to know her, who would ultimately do that very thing?


	10. Chapter 10

_CHAPTER SEVEN: GIRLS WEEKEND OUT, PT 3  
_

They'd just come off of the water slide for the second time and Carly was shaking herself off, when she smacked straight into someone talking to Lita and Punk.

"My bad."

"Not a problem, darlin." Matt said as he looked at Carly, the girl Lita seemed to think he should meet, the reason he'd gotten off his ass and dragged his brother, Shannon Moore and Shane Helms to the water park today. Lita smirked a little. Yeah, she'd seen that one coming about a mile off.. Mattie was predictable like that though, he'd always been a bit of a sucker for blondes with brown eyes.

"Matt?"  
"Yeah, Amy?"

"This is Carly. Carly, this is Matt Hardy." Lita said as Punk stood back, trying not to groan to himself, trying not to burst into laughter. Don't get him wrong, this was a sweet thing for her to try and do, and he knew to some degree she'd always blame herself for Matt's sort of going on a downward spiral that most recently concluded with a failed relationship to some girl named Reby, but for some reason, the Straightedge just didn't see where there'd be any real sparks with Carly and Matt.

But hey, that was just his opinion. He'd been wrong about a lot of things before.

Carly groaned inwardly. Now she realized what Lita was up to. She shot her friend a covert dirty look and mouthed, "Not looking, remember." but she had to admit.. He was definitely not bad looking, and the accent, good lord, have mercy.

She bit her lower lip and then said with a smirk, "Nice to meet you, Matt." as he nodded and said "Likewise.. So, you like the waterslide?"

"Actually, yes. I didn't piss myself in fear like I originally thought I would when Lita here said that she'd have me on it, one way or another, by the end of the day.."

"Can't swim?" Matt asked as he looked at her.. Oh man.. The eyes.. They kept sucking him in.. She wasn't ugly, not by any means, so that certainly didn't help matters.

He'd have to thank Lita later. He also found himself curious about why Lita would think about him when she met Carly.. Made him want to get to know her a little better, see what Lita thought she had going on that might work between them.

"No.. I'm scared shitless of heights.. I was, rather." Carly corrected as she raked her hand through damp hair and tilted her head to the side, looking up at him, biting her lower lip.

She thought he was nice, yeah.. But she just didn't really know if she felt that pull she felt with the four idiots who couldn't stop fighting over her, even knowing she clearly wasn't looking for love right now.

She might not ever again look for love because all of her experiences prior told her love equalled pain, the two were one and the same.

Jeff and Shane, Shannon caught up to Matt and Jeff checked out the girl Matt had driven up here to meet, thanks to his ex, Lita. "Whoa. Hot damn."

"Hell yes, hot damn." Shannon muttered as he raked his hand through his hair and whispered, "And she's a mom?"

"Oh she's a mom alright.. That girl, gentlemen, is a MILF." Shane muttered as Shannon said with a smirk, "Twenty bucks, Matt blows it."

"If he blows it, boys, I'm gonna go for it. What the hell, right?" Shannon added seconds later as Jeff gave Shannon a look and then clearing his throat asked, "You guys wanna walk down with us and grab some drinks?"

Carly looked at the group of guys who'd obviously come with Matt. She could have kicked Lita at the moment, but she decided against. Instead, she decided to at least be nice to the guy.. Hell, if he tried something, she could politely tell him she wasn't ready to date or something.

They walked down the boardwalk and Matt asked her, "So.. Lita said you had a little girl when she mentioned you?"

"Yeah, Ami.. She's with my dad actually.. They had to practically bend my arms to make me give her up though, if not for that, she'd be with me.. I miss her like crazy right now, it's the first night she's actually literally been away from me."

"What's your dad think about your job?" Matt asked as Carly gave a light laugh and said with a wry grin, "Considering he's COO, he's sort of wary about me doing hair and makeup for the guys.. Keep insisting that I don't need to date a fighter." Carly shrugged as Matt's jaw dropped for a moment and he wondered just how the hell HHH managed to keep her hidden when they'd been on the roster together.

"Whoa, wait.. Triple H is.."

"Mhmm.. But I didn't know until earlier this year. My mom, she.. She wasn't always a good person and she kind of kept that from me.. I mean my whole life practically, he's been in it, but I thought he was just a godfather or something.. It kind of pisses me off to know that all those years went by and she knew, didn't tell me." Carly admitted as they got into line for drinks.

Right behind Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.

Dean heard Carly talking behind him and as he turned around, he growled to himself, noticing that Matt Hardy, the former fiancee of his former girlfriend, Reby Sky was standing right in line, chatting up the girl Dean very much considered his.

Roman glared at Matt and then growled at Dean, giving him an elbow.

"Lita did this shit." Seth muttered as he frowned and looked from Roman to Dean, neither male looking too happy about the current situation.

"Yeah, man, I kinda fuckin figured that, Rollins." Dean said with a calm smirk as he said "Hardy.. Caught any new diseases from Reby, lately?"

Matt glared, started to say something, remembered what Lita told him earlier about Carly's reaction to the guys sort of having this internal territory marking war, currently.

The trick to this was to make himself look like he wasn't going to compete. He grumbled something to the effect of "Nah, the way I figure, you probably got 'em all and cleaned her up before I got her, Ambrose."

Dean snarled but got an elbow from Seth as Seth insisted, "Remember our talk you moron."

"I fuckin know, but I just .. This guy's face.. It's beggin to be rearranged." Dean hissed as he smiled and then noticed the beer Carly held in her hand, smirking as he said casually, "She likes those strawberry daiquiris man. But hey, if all you want is sex then get her drunk."

He turned around in line, leaving Carly just a little shocked.. Had he really been watching her that closely today? Because she'd only had one or two of the daiquiris..

Nah, he couldn't be..

Roman smirked as he mentally high fived Dean for the little show of hand just now, then remembered, if HE wanted her, he damn well better be doing the same thing.

So with a smirk, he informed Dean, loudly enough for her to hear, "Actually, she drank a Strawberrita with Eve and Zack earlier, bud. And technically, those are a type of beer, but hey. Not like anyone was watching or anything."

Carly groaned inwardly.. She was getting the distinct feeling that her friends were putting the guys up to this. Her friends had to be, but she didn't get why, really.

She wasn't all that pretty, she had a messy and complicated personal life..

She stood in line, biting her lower lip as she sipped her beer and thought about the very different men who seemed to be competing so far.. 'Damn it, I told the girls I was not looking.'

Deep down, though, she had to admit.. She did feel things towards the 4, well now adding Matt, 5 men who seemed to be into her.

She just didn't know how to decide which she actually felt something for, and which she didn't, really. Maybe if she gave them all a chance, individually?

She bit her lower lip and Matt's hand on her lower back as he asked if she were ready to go meet up with Lita and Punk, so they could all go down yet another, taller waterslide, got her attention.

As she walked off, she held the gazes of the other two men, her eyes full of confusion.

Was she really considering giving her friends a chance to play cupid or something? After all she'd only just been through?

"So.. We're gonna go down together, right? Because there is no way in hell I'm going down that big fucker by myself." Carly asked, attempting to make herself snap out of her little moment back there, maybe try flirting with each of the guys, see if she fit well with any of them.

Even though every part of her told her it was too soon, this was a bad idea, and that she'd only wind up getting hurt.. Not only that, her little girl could be hurt too...


	11. Chapter 11

_CHAPTER SEVEN: GIRLS WEEKEND OUT, PT 4  
_

The sun was getting lower in the sky, and Carly tried to stifle a yawn, beg out of going to the bar just up the beach, but her friends, they just weren't hearing it.

"C'mon.. Seriously? It's only 9." Brie and Nikki whined as Natalya piped up, "Yeah, I normally don't agree with them about anything, but if anyone needs just one night of fun, it's you, Carly."

"Come on, please?" Eve begged as Lita smirked and challenged, "Unless you're admitting you can't hang anymore?"

For a moment, Carly almost said she couldn't, leave an already tense and awkward situation behind, she wasn't anything like her friends really, and today she'd been out of her comfort zone several times, to be honest, especially with the awkward impromptu blind date Lita set up a few hours ago that probably hadn't went well at all, as much as Carly hated to admit it..

But, something in her snapped a little and she realized that they were right. She hardly ever just let loose anymore.. And again, her father's words came back, almost like a sing song taunt and she raked her hands through her damp and wildly curly blonde hair as she said with a slight grin, "Okay.. But no awkward blind date surprises? I'd really enjoy this so much more if that didn't happen.. If you guys want me to let my hair down, then just let me."

They all nodded in agreement, but they all still fully intended to meddle if they got the chance and before she could change her mind, she was being dragged practically, up the beach to a bar/nightclub that was playing loud and pulsing techno and dubstep that could be heard at least 20 miles down the beach if Carly had to guess.

The second she was IN the club, however, and she saw what now apparently passed as dancing, basically dry humping on a crowded dance floor, she bit her lower lip and sighing muttered, "The things I get myself talked into." as she walked in behind her friends and found an empty barstool.

Shouts came from the back of the bar where apparently an intense pool tournament was going on between the four men who'd been lurking around her all day..

Dean held the poolstick currently as he grumbled, "I can't take this shit anymore." and made his way to the ancient jukebox that sat between the pool tables and the bar/dance floor area.

With a smirk, he found a heavy metal song, Alcohaulin Ass, and he pressed play after having slid in his money as he walked back to the tables and said "This, ladies.. This is music. Music has fuckin balls, you pack of pussies."

Randy smirked as he laughed a little, rolling his eyes. "My shot, shithead." he mumbled as he bent, aiming the cue ball at an orange stripe. It went into the side pocket and Dean glared as he shrugged, took about a half of a bottle sip of the Southern Comfort in his fists and said "Big fuckin deal. So you made it, Orton."

"Yeah? Well I also fucked you out of a shot, Ambrose, if you weren't so damn lit right now, you little bitch, you'd know that, wouldn't you?" Randy challenged as Seth and Roman, John and Daniel quickly grabbed the two men while Sheamus mused aloud, "Both of ye bloody stink at billiards."

"It's pool, Irish, but yeah.. If by suck you mean winning, and kicking Ambrose's pansy ass all over this god damn table, then yeah, I do."

"Gimme tat stick and shut yer face, fella." Sheamus said as he smirked, snatching up a Guiness poolstick lying forgotten by another patron of the bar. He checked the stick for bends and curves that'd mess up his shot and satisfied that there were none, he rubbed his hands together and then said "Twenty bucks, fellas.. I make tis shot."

He called it, purple off of the side bank, tipping the yellow solid just a bit, and into the back right corner pocket, and when the ball did what he said it did, and it went in, he bowed as he smirked and said "Et's easy, fella, if yeh grew up in a bloody pub like ah did."

From the bar, Carly watched the men playing pool. She'd been pretty good at the game herself, and her family, especially her father, her godfather, were notoriously competitive when it came to a good game of 8 ball pool.

She took a few sips of her drink and stood on slightly wobbly legs, she was just really beginning to get a damn good buzz, truth be told, and she sauntered towards the back as Lita, Eve, Natalya, Brie, Nikki and the Funkadactyls watched and practically squealed.

Dean coughed as she stepped into the backstage area and said with a smirk, "I call winner." and slammed a 20 down on the side of the table. He looked around and then said with a casual shrug, "We're not playin for money, though. We're playing for stakes."

The other three men who'd been lurking around her all day nodded and smirked as Roman held out her 20 and waved it a little, before saying with a slight smirk, "You still sure you wanna call winner? Because I'm feeling lucky."

"The fuck, Reigns, you haven't won a damn game all night and you feel lucky.. He feels lucky, guys." Dean grumbled as he smirked at his friend and mouthed, "Again, I'm gonna say this. Fuck off already. She's gonna be mine."

"And again, I say this.. She's going to be mine, Ambrose." Roman mouthed back as Randy and Sheamus growled to themselves and rolled their eyes.

"Oh come on, seriously? Nobody's gonna shoot and talk shit now? Maybe I should go back, watch the game." Carly teased, the alcohol kicking in, sort of liberating her a little bit more than normal, making this easier than it would be, say if she were stone cold sober right now.

"Is the Billion Dollar Princess maybe a little tipsy?" Jack Swagger joked as he winked at his longtime best friend and then leaned in, said in a voice of brotherly concern, "If you get ready to go, Caroline.. Find me and Cesaro. We're not drinking, we'll take you wherever you wanna go."

"I'll be fine, Hager, but thanks, you're a doll." Carly drawled a little as she took the stick and asked, "So.. Who's playing?"

Dean smirked as he said "Well.. I got the most wins.. Randy's got second most, Sheamus's non English ass has been playing darts, so he has none, and Roman's got 1 win.. And that's because he had to take a piss and Seth won it for him on a technicality. You still sure you wanna go, Princess?"

"Shut your mouth and rack the damn balls." Carly smirked as she slid her feet out of the too high wedge platform heels, causing the group of men to leer and say, "Whoa now, this ain't strip pool."

"You bitches try walkin in those damn shoes, tell me if you don't get a set of barking dogs." Carly chided as she smirked and then mouthed off, "But you'd like it to be strip pool."

The four men didn't answer, they instead smirked a little to themselves.. Maybe she was sloppy enough they could take turns showing her how to hold the stick.. Each of them were definitely picturing that.

Carly, however, boldly asked, "Okay, stakes then.. Name 'em."

Dean rubbed his chin and smirked as he shrugged and gave a casual wink and said "Dunno... When I beat your ass, babe.. I'll name 'em. And I'm not gonna have any mercy, just because you're a girl.. Got it?"

Carly pretended to pout and then rolled her eyes as she took a huge gulp from her own drink, to their shock, they noticed she was walking around now, holding a smallish tequila bottle.

"What?"

"You drink Tequila?"

"Umm, I used to, yes. The girls were bitching at me to loosen up and I figured what the hell, right? They're not gonna quit until I've proven I'm human and I can let my hair down, have a good time. This is me.. Trying to enjoy the night." Carly stated as Randy steadied her a little and with a wink said "I know my stakes already, by the way."

"Oh you do, do you, Orton?"

"Oh yeah."

From across the bar, Eve and Lita gaped at Carly, as Natalya, Cameron, Naomi, Brie and Nikki, Kaitlyn all whistled, teasing her, from where they were on the floor with their 'dates' for the night. "Now this.. Should get really, really interesting."

"As long as she doesn't wind up with Ambrose, I'm good." both the Bella twins said simultaneously as Kaitlyn glared at them and said "You two do realize he's not actually as bad as he pretends to be.. Right? He's just had a really, really hard life. Maybe this would do him some good."

"Randy is so much better." Nikki stated as John nodded, even though he wanted to stay out of the debate.

Natalya spoke up with Brie and said "Actually, I kinda think it's cute when she and Sheamus are around one another."

"Pfft, yeah, in that awkward way, girl. I'm with Kaitlyn, I think that for some reason, she and Ambrose would be good for one another.. And Ami loves him."

"Yeah, well Layla and I are in complete agreement when we both say Roman is totally the better guy for her.."

In the end, Eve spoke up and waving her arms as she said "Enough! Like, seriously.. Can't we all just agree that whoever makes her happy is the better guy?"

"I still think Mattie woulda worked better than any of those dipshits." Lita fumed as she looked at the group of men gathered in the back of the bar, watched Matt walking in, looking around. If Carly would just give the guy a chance.

Punk giving her a firm head shake and a nudge got her attention and she asked him quietly, "What?"

"I just don't see it working, Lita.. I love you babe, this is one of the many reasons why, you've got such a big heart, but.. There's no chemistry there and chemistry is something you can't force."

"Aww.. I got the best guy ever." Lita gushed as she snuggled into his arms and looked up at him then asked, "But personally, who do you see working?"

"Personally? I'm gonna plead the fifth. Because it might piss all of you ladies off."

"Who?"

"Well.. I personally think she'd be good with my buddy Colt.. But he's sort of seeing someone.."

"We mean someone she'll see all the time." the girls complained as he thought it over a moment and then shrugged as he said "I agree with Eve... Whoever she feels that fire with is who she needs to be with.. Whether it be Ambrose, Roman, Sheamus or Randy, hell even Heath Slater.. If she's happy, then we should all be happy for her."

They nodded in agreement, continued drinking and talking as they watched her shooting pool against the four guys who were all determined to win her heart, one way or another.

Dean howled in laughter as he grabbed for her and said drunkenly, "That's not how ya hold the stick." and positioned himself behind her, his hands moving over hers as he said "Ya gotta choke up on it, woman, damn.. Or ya gonna keep makin shots like that last one.. This is 8 ball not shoot and hope to hell it goes into hole."

"Fuck you.."

"you wanna."

"Do not."

"Don't lie."

She rolled her eyes, laughed a little and took a sip of the alcohol sitting nearby as she leaned forward over the table, took a shot at a ball and yelped with glee when it went in, purely by accident.

"You guys remind me that my baby girl NEVER hears of this night.. Ever. I don't want her thinking it's okay to act like this.."

"Oh, we won't tell." Randy promised as he smirked, steadied her and for a moment, held her up against him, eyeing the table as he leaned in from behind and whispered, "If you wanna get Ambrose, bank the orange. It'll fuck up his next and final shot."

"Hey dipshit! No cheating." Dean growled as he looked at Randy who shrugged and said "Anything's better than whatever stakes you might name, Ambrose."

Carly's stomach lurched.. he was about to beat her, and they'd been playing for stakes.

Seth chuckled as he whispered to Kaitlyn, "Oh hell, babe.. Reality just set in.. I think Carly's sober again."

Kaitlyn laughed a little as she leaned in and whispered to Cameron, "He better not do something stupid and blow this by asking for something like sex."

She aimed and missed the shot she'd been told to go for completely and Dean aimed, sank the 8 ball into the side pocket just as he said he would. And winking at her cheekily, he said with a smirk, "I'll let ya know when I come up with something."

Carly bit her lower lip and then said "Okay, so.."

Randy smirked and said "Wanna play me? Unlike Ambrose, I'll be nice to you.. Maybe I'll even let you make it in." as he winked at her, watching her with a smile. He was just glad really that she was getting out, doing something for her.

Roman smirked to himself as he thought about tonight.. Just seeing her smile, really made it worthwhile.

Sheamus chuckled as he leaned in and whispered, "Yeh better be careful with 'im, lass.. He's sneaky, tat one es."

Carly shrugged and then said "I lost last game, I'll rack."

She set to racking the balls as Dean sat on the stool nearby, pondering his 'stakes' for his win.. And how he'd spring it on her.

A smirk filled his face as he thought of the perfect thing to ask for.

The game was getting intense and Carly eyed her next to last shot as she laughed and said "You.. Are letting me win, Randy."

Randy shrugged and waving his hand said "I got nothing to prove, unlike some guys." as he smirked in Dean's direction, just to see if he could make Dean lose his cool and blow it.

He sighed as he made the last shot, beating her and said "I'm gonna collect on my stakes now.. Dance with me?"

"Okay, sure." Carly said as she took a huge breath of relief.

She let him lead her out onto the floor as John highfived Nikki and said quietly with a smirk, "I knew he was gonna pull that."

"At least he was a gentleman.. I gag every time I think what Ambrose will probably come up with." Nikki said as John muttered, "Yeah, well, if he gets too far outta line, Randy will kick his ass, babe."

"He better. I don't want Carly getting hurt or something because Ambrose is bored. She might say she's not looking, but she kind of is.. You can just tell. She's ready, she just doesn't know it yet."

"And you do, huh?" John chuckled as he held her against him and they danced.

Randy smiled as he said "So.. Been one hell of a night, huh?"

"Yeah.. I'm just glad that my stepmom and dad aren't bringing my baby girl back home until around noon, unless they keep her another night.." Carly said quietly as she let him lead them around the dance floor.

At the pool tables, the remaining men were being 'coached' by the friends of hers that were 'rallying' for them to win.

Brie and Daniel studied Sheamus intetnly as they pointed out, "Play her in darts."

"Ah was plannin on et." Sheamus grinned as he said "Just glad to see 'er smilin tonight, really. She really only smiles loike tat when she's wit Ami."

"She's having fun now that you guys aren't practically peeing on her." Brie pointed out as she added, "But you have to make a move. Come on, Laoch, I know you can do it."

"Okay, alroight. I'm tryin ta be different, not be quite as vocal about et as those other fellas." Sheamus said as he added, "Ah have got tis."

"Okay, good, you just remember that." Daniel said firmly as he smiled at his friend.

Seth, Kaitlyn and Cameron crowded Dean and said calmly, "When you name your stakes, Ambrose.. Do not be a dick."

"Because it won't go well for you if you do."

"It'll go the opposite of well, boy."

Dean smirked as he said "Just trust me, ladies, Seth.. I got this."

"Yeah, no.. That's why we're gonna tell you what to ask for." Cameron asserted as Dean gave her a dirty look and said with a smirk, "Oh ya think so, huh?"

"We know so." Kaitlyn said as she studied him intently and Seth spoke up, "Just ask her for something she's not expecting. It'll blow her away, man."

Dean thought it over, nodded...

Layla and Naomi talked to Roman quietly in the corner as they said calmly, firmly, "You've got this. You can do this, Roman.. Just be that sweet and slightly grumpy and cocky guy you are when the cameras aren't rolling. Ami loves you already."

"Yeah, but she loves Ambrose too."

"So? She's smart, she can tell the difference and sooner or later, Ambrose will frighten her." Layla coached as Naomi nodded and smiling said "Just be nice."

He nodded as he eyed Carly, who was walking back from the dance floor.

Tonight was getting really, really interesting, but it was far from over, yet...


End file.
